Episode twelve is a little different to previous podcasts. We took this opportunity to review and celebrate the first 25 years of Human Rights Media Centre.

On the 15th of November HRMC celebrated it's silver jubilee celebration at Community House join us as we share some excerpts from the event and an interview with Founder and Director Shirley Gunn by Haroon Gunn Salie in December 2025.

Photographs by Lily van Rensburg.

Episode 11 delves into the challenges faced by refugees and asylum seekers in exercising the right to work.

The right to work is entrenched in international human rights law. First introduced in the 1945 Charter of the United Nations, the right to work is recognised in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

The Refugees Act of 1998 provides refugees with the right to seek employment. This is consistent with the non-encampment policy that South Africa adopted, that aims to integrate refugees in communities and the economy.

In this episode, we focus on the on two main challengesthat refugees and asylum seekers face in exercising this right, namely the high unemployment rate in South Africa, and a difficult access to documentation. We reflect on some solutions, and advocate for a review of the current exclusionary and restrictive policies, and for a supportive environment oriented to job creation. And that women need additional support.

Episode ten focuses on the white paper on Immigration, Citizenship and Refugee Protection. This policy document, made public over a year ago, proposes major changes in the South African migration system that have far reaching consequences.

As people wait for the new legislation, there is mounting xenophobia in some communities. One of the unfavourable consequences is what is currently happening in state hospitals, as heard in this YouTube clip (August 2025) where Patriotic Alliance protesters were denying access to healthcare services for foreign nationals.

“We are kindly asking… if you know you are not a South African citizen, may you please get up and leave our hospital. If you know that you are not a South African citizen, may you please stand up and leave our hospital. [Some patients leaving]. Thank you very much, thank you gentleman. If you know you are not a South African citizen, you need to go and seek help from private hospitals, not here anymore. We’re supporting March in March organisation. We have already started here to activate hospitals. And the message is very clear. We don’t want foreign nationals, documents no documents…"

It is not too late to speak out! Before it becomes law.