Buhle Booi
Buhle is the head of political organising at Ndifuna Ukwazi. Ndifuna Ukwazi is an activist organisation and law centre that advocates for access to well-located land and affordable housing for poor and working class families, communities and social movements. Buhle is interested in building solidarity across land and housing struggles to advance urban land justice in Cape Town.
The Republic of South Africa voted for the adoption of the resolution on the protection of human rights defenders (HRDs) by the United Nations General Assembly on December 18th 2015. Nevertheless, HRDs face threats, intimidation, harassment, and physical attacks, sometimes resulting in death, by private individuals and members of the police force. This is especially true for those human rights defenders working on corporate accountability and the impact of extractive industries on local people and the environment. Moreover, suspected perpetrators often go unpunished. There is overwhelming impunity for those who violate the rights of human rights defenders.
In rural areas, where job opportunities are scarce and economic prospects low, mining and extractive projects are seen as viable economic opportunities. Human rights defenders who raise concerns about loss of indigenous lands and environmental destruction in face of these projects are violently targeted. In September 2007 South Africa signed on to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples adopted by the General Assembly. However, indigenous HRDs or those who are working on these issues have been killed, threatened, physically attacked and alienated from their communities.
