The Role of the South African Human Rights Commission in the Realisation of Socio-Economic Rights

South Africa has a undemocratic past. This past spans centuries of colonialism and decades of the apartheid regime. The adoption of South Africa’s Constitution in 1996 completed the transition to a constitutional democracy and provided the foundation for a new state and society. The redress of historical inequality lie at the heart of South Africa’s post-apartheid Constitution. The inclusion of justiciable socio-economic in the Bill of Rights was globally considered progressive and distinctive. In addition, South Africa’s inclusion of these rights demonstrated that socio-economic rights were also fundamental to rebuilding a nation and eradicating the inequality that characterised apartheid. Central to the effective realization of the range of human rights protected in South Africa’s Constitution are a number of institutions established for the purpose of strengthening constitutional democracy. This article analyses the main activities and assesses the role of the South African Human Rights Commission in the ensuring of realisation of socio-economic rights in the country.