Activist victimisation

Human rights defenders around the world face many risks as a result of their work. Activists are often threatened and victimised at the hands of the powerful, confronting everything from malicious litigation through to violent attacks. South Africa is no exception. Recently, we have seen a rise in the number of activists (especially those working on mining and the environment) calling for legal assistance from the social justice sector. CALS has therefore begun working on a number of cases and projects which aim to support activists. 

Research 

Since 2017, CALS has been conducting research into the nature and impact of activist victimisation. We launched our first report, Victimisation Experiences of Activists in South Africa, following six months of qualitative research conducted in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Western Cape provinces. The research took the form of open-ended semi-structured interviews with 59 participants living in different areas, but primarily focused on promoting environmental justice. The findings show that environmental activists face various forms of victimisation, from frivolous litigation and unlawful arrest all the way to threats, sexual harassment, physical violence and even death. 

In 2022, we launched a follow-up report, Victimisation Experiences of Activists in South Africa Second Edition. This report expands on previous findings and captures the experiences of human rights defenders operating in many different areas, including gender justice activists, community activists, student activists and whistleblowers. The report not only takes stock of the nature of victimisation experienced by activists, but documents activists' demands for change and tactics adopted to fight repression. The recommendations outline how stakeholders can create and implement activist-centered solutions to end victimisation and demand accountability, reform and decisive action from responsible parties. 

In 2023, we made written submissions to the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development on the Discussion Document on Proposed Reforms for the Whistleblower Protection Regime in South Africa.

Litigation

CALS is working on a number of cases supporting activists who face interdicts and defamation claims for speaking out against anything from local government corruption to environmental harm caused by mining companies. We argue that these cases amount to no more than examples of strategic litigation against public participation – otherwise known as “SLAPP” suits. We are not only defending individual cases, but are continuing to work on developing model legislation to counter this kind of malicious litigation.