South Africa grilled by UN on xenophobia, femicide and corruption

South Africa needs to urgently address xenophobia, femicide and corruption, among other challenges. 

The United Nations’ universal periodic review session in Geneva, Switzerland, was an opportunity for the country to update the UN’s Human Rights Council Working Group on progress made since the previous review four years ago.

The leader of the South African delegation, John Jeffery, who also serves as deputy justice minister, and other senior government officials responded to concerns raised during the previous session in 2018. 

However, instead of making progress, if anything, xenophobia, corruption and femicide have escalated in the intervening years, despite the government saying it had dedicated R21 billion to addressing gender-based violence (GBV). 

It is estimated the country lost R1.5 trillion to corruption between 2014 and 2019.

The Human Rights Council, comprising 47 countries, did commend the progress South Africa had made in addressing issues raised in 2018, which included corruption, xenophobia and GBV, but called for more action in what one European delegate said was the need to “accelerate the activation of the anti-corruption action plan”.

The call came as South Africa grapples with multibillion-rand corruption cases that have highlighted just how entrenched the embezzlement of public funds has become.

Continuing reports of hate crimes and anti-foreigner sentiment remained a worry for council members.