aged between 10 and 19 did not return to REFUGEES’ AND MIGRANTS’ RIGHTS school. There were over 153,000 outstanding asylum Many schools were underfunded and applications. The government and UNHCR, sanitation conditions were poor. As of 12 the UN refugee agency, signed a US$9.6 April, 5,167 schools still used pit latrines, million agreement in March to clear the which contravened health and safety backlog and revamp the asylum legislation. management system by 2024. In May, the RIGHT TO HEALTH Western Cape High Court ruled that the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office (RRO), which South Africa remained the country worst had been closed in 2012, be reopened. This affected by Covid-19 in Africa, in terms of followed the Department of Home Affairs’ both reported cases and deaths. In July, failure to comply with a 2017 court order healthcare facilities were struggling to cope issued by the Supreme Court of Appeals to with the third wave. In the Gauteng province reopen the RRO by March 2018. Since its alone, about 91% of private and public closure, asylum seekers living in Cape Town hospital beds were occupied. There were had to travel to Durban, Musina or Pretoria about 8.4 million fully vaccinated people by every few months (1,455km, 1,633km and September in a population of almost 60 1,923km, respectively) to renew their million. Undocumented migrants were permits. excluded from the vaccine roll-out. There were sporadic xenophobic attacks The Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum throughout the year, with businesses owned and the Special Investigating Unit took on by migrants targeted in Durban. numerous cases of alleged corruption in EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE provincial health departments. Former health minister Zweli Mkhize resigned in August South African police continued to use after being implicated in the irregular excessive force against peaceful protestors procurement of a Covid-19 related resulting in deaths and injuries. The communication services tender which Independent Police Investigative Directorate resulted in the alleged misappropriation of (IPID), an official oversight body of the police, ZAR150 million (over US$10 million). received 6,122 new complaints by the end of RIGHTS TO WATER AND SANITATION the 2021 financial year on 28 February. Of these, 4,228 were assault cases, 353 were Communities still struggled with access to cases of death as a result of police action, water and sanitation. According to the 256 were cases of torture, and 80 were rapes Department of Water and Sanitation, an by a police officer. estimated 5.3 million households did not IPID received 74 complaints during the July have access to safe and reliable drinking unrest in parts of the Gauteng and KZN water and 14.1 million people did not have provinces (see below, Right to life and access to safe sanitation. In some security of the person). Of these, the majority municipalities only 50% of residents enjoyed – 26 – were cases of deaths resulting from adequate sanitation facilities. Protests over police action, while there were 25 complaints access to water and sanitation continued of assault, and four deaths in police custody. throughout the year, disrupting voter Two cases involving torture were filed. registration for the 2021 local government UNLAWFUL KILLINGS elections. In September, residents of In March, Mthokozisi Ntumba was shot and Khayelitsha in Cape Town, the legislative killed by members of the South African Police capital, protested over blocked drains and Service while passing a student-led protest in sewage running down their streets and into Braamfontein in Johannesburg. The their homes, compromising their health. University of Witwatersrand students were protesting the university’s exclusion of Amnesty International Report 2021/22 334