EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Realising the Right to a Basic Education in South Africa

Socio-Economic Rights in South Africa

South Africa’s Constitution places great emphasis on the inclusion of socio-economic rights, which among other things, seek to ensure that the fundamental needs of the people are meaningfully protected and advanced following generations of colonial and apartheid-era injustices and inequality. The realisation of these rights are necessary for the establishment of a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental rights. The rights to housing, food, water, education, environment, healthcare and social security – alongside other civil and political rights, signalled a crucial first step towards the realisation of the socio-economic transformation and reconstruction envisaged by South Africa’s Constitution.