Editing Politics of South Africa (section)

==Human rights==
{{See also|Human rights in South Africa|Constitution of South Africa Chapter 2: Bill of Rights}}
{{More citations needed|section|date=March 2022}}
The constitution's bill of rights provides extensive guarantees, including [[equality before the law]] and prohibitions against discrimination; the [[right to life]], [[privacy]], property, and freedom and security of the person; prohibition against slavery and [[forced labour]]; and [[freedom of speech]], [[freedom of religion|religion]], assembly, and association. The legal rights of criminal suspects also are enumerated. It also includes wide guarantees of [[right to food|access of food]], [[right to water|water]], [[right to education|education]], health care, and [[social security]]. The constitution provides for an independent and impartial judiciary, and, in practice, these provisions are respected.

Citizens' entitlements to a safe environment, housing, education, and health care are included in the bill of rights, and are known as secondary constitutional rights. In 2003 the constitutional secondary rights were used by the [[HIV/AIDS in Africa|HIV/AIDS]] activist group the [[Treatment Action Campaign]] as a means of forcing the government to change its health policy.

Violent crime, including violence against women and children, and organised criminal activity are at high levels and are a grave concern. Partly as a result, [[vigilante]] action and [[mob justice]] sometimes occur.

Some members of the police are accused of applying excessive force and abusing suspects in custody; as a result, the number of deaths in police custody remains a problem.  In April 1997, the government established an Independent Complaints Directorate to investigate deaths in police custody and deaths resulting from police action.

Some [[misogyny|discrimination against women]] continues, although it has improved overall, and [[discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS|discrimination against those living with HIV/AIDS]] has been becoming a serious issue.

There has been a growing political intolerance and repression, especially with regard to grassroots activists<ref>
[http://sabarometerblog.wordpress.com/archive/volume-eight-2010/political-tolerance-on-the-wane-in-south-africa/ Political tolerance on the wane in South Africa], Imraan Buccus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, ''SA Reconciliation Barometer'', 2011</ref><ref>[https://thetricontinental.org/dossier-31-political-repression-in-south-africa/ ‘The Politic of Blood’: Political Repression in South Africa], ''Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research'', Dossier 31, August 2020</ref>