• Indigenous peoples in South Africa

    Indigenous peoples in South Africa

    South Africa has voted in favour of adopting the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, but has yet to ratify ILO Convention No. 169.
    The indigenous San and Khoekhoe peoples of South Africa were previously known as “coloured”. Now they are exercising their right to self-identification and identify themselves as San and Khoekhoe or Khoe-San.

South Africa

The San and Khoekhoe Indigenous Peoples of South Africa were previously known as "coloured". Now they are exercising their right to self-identification and identify themselves as San and Khoekhoe or Khoe-San.

South Africa has voted in favour of the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples but has not yet ratified ILO Convention No. 169.

The San and Khoekhoe African Indigenous Peoples are not formally recognized in terms of national legislation as a customary community. However, this is changing with the pending Law of Traditional Leadership and Khoisan Bill, which is intended to be presented to parliament in 2017.

Indigenous Peoples in South Africa

The total population of South Africa is around 50 million, of which it is estimated that indigenous groups represent approximately 1%.

Collectively, the various African indigenous communities in South Africa are known as the Khoe-San / Khoisan, which comprises the San and the Khoekhoe. The main San groups include the San Khomani who reside mainly in the Kalahari region, and the Khwe and Xun, who reside primarily in Platfontein, Kimberley.

The Khoekhoe consist of the Nama who reside mainly in the Province of the North Cape; the Koran mainly in the provinces of Kimberley and Free State; the Griqua in the provinces of Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal; and Cape Khoekhoe in the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape, with increasing pockets in the provinces of Gauteng and Free State.

In contemporary South Africa, the Khoe-San communities exhibit a variety of socio-economic and cultural lifestyles and practices. The socio-political changes brought about by the current South African political system have created a space for the deconstruction of racially determined social categories of apartheid, such as "colour".

Progress: indigenous knowledge and leadership projects of Khoisan

The "Law on Protection, Promotion, Development and Management of Indigenous Knowledge Systems" of 2014 establishes the protection, promotion, development and management of the communities' indigenous knowledge systems. The bill provides for the establishment and operation of a National Office of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the management of the rights of holders of indigenous knowledge.

The Indigenous Knowledge Law Project establishes how to access indigenous knowledge of local communities. In addition, the bill describes the process to register, accredit and certify indigenous knowledge professionals. The second version of this bill has been developed on the basis of the first round of entries, and this new second version was opened for public consultation in December 2016.

The South African Parliamentary Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has presented the Traditional Leadership and Khoisan Bill (formerly the National Traditional Affairs Project) before parliament in 2016. This project seeks to recognize that the historic Khoi and San communities are at with the recognition already granted to other African customary communities within South Africa.

For the first time in the last 300 years, the bill could potentially provide formal recognition and open opportunities for access to justice for the historic communities of Khoi and San. In addition, the bill would allow Khoi and San to be included in the governmental administrative processes within the various ministries and allow these ministries to make specific provisions for the social, economic and cultural priorities of the Khoi and San communities.

In 2017, the community tenure bill establishes the transfer of communal lands to their communities.

 

Indigenous World 2020: South Africa

South Africa’s total population is estimated at around 50 million people, and Indigenous groups make up approximately 1% of this figure. Collectively, the various African Indigenous communities in South Africa are known as the Khoe-San/Khoisan, comprised of the San and the Khoekhoe/Khoi-Khoi. The main San groups include the Khomani San who mainly reside in the Kalahari region, and the Khwe and Xun mainly in Platfontein, Kimberley.

Continue Reading

South Africa: Legal recognition of indigenous knowledge

Cape Kingdom Nutraceuticals is a pharmaceutical company that processes Buchu, a small shrub endemic to the Western Cape used for its essential oils. Buchu’s medicinal qualities are associated with the traditional knowledge of the Khoi khoi and San peoples. The landmark deal that has been signed confirms that the two indigenous groups are ‘legally entitled to a fair and equitable share of the benefits that result from the commercial development of the buchu plant’.

Continue Reading

Indigenous World 2019: South Africa

South Africa’s total population is around 50 million, of which indigenous groups are estimated to make up approximately 1%. Collectively, the various African indigenous communities in South Africa are known as the Khoe-San/Khoisan, comprising of the San and the Khoekhoe/ Khoi-Khoi.

Continue Reading

Indigenous peoples' rights taught at South African University

The course which is the only university course on the issue of indigenous peoples in Africa was done in collaboration with the African Commission’s Working Group on Indigenous Populations/Communities with the financial support of IWGIA and ILO. It was attended by more than 40 participants from Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, Nepal and Indonesia, representing governmental institutions, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, academics and law students.

Continue Reading

  • 1
  • 2

STAY CONNECTED

About IWGIA

IWGIA - International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs - is a global human rights organisation dedicated to promoting and defending Indigenous Peoples’ rights. Read more.

For media inquiries click here

Indigenous World

IWGIA's global report, the Indigenous World, provides an update of the current situation for Indigenous Peoples worldwide. Read The Indigenous World.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Contact IWGIA

Prinsessegade 29 B, 3rd floor
DK 1422 Copenhagen
Denmark
Phone: (+45) 53 73 28 30
E-mail: iwgia@iwgia.org
CVR: 81294410

Report possible misconduct, fraud, or corruption

 instagram social icon facebook_social_icon.png   youtuble_logo_icon.png  linkedin_social_icon.png  

NOTE! This site uses cookies and similar technologies.

If you do not change browser settings, you agree to it. Learn more

I understand

Joomla! Debug Console

Session

Profile Information

Memory Usage

Database Queries