Latest news with #HumanSciencesResearchCouncil
IOL News
5 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
How data collection can improve lives for LGBTQIA+ communities in South Africa
A webinar was held to discuss issues around data collecting of the LGBTQIA+ community Image: Unsplash The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), in partnership with The Other Foundation, hosted a critical webinar exploring how information about LGBTQI+ people in South Africa is or isn't collected, why that data matters, and how it can improve lives. The session aimed to unpack what kind of data is currently missing, how collecting it responsibly could enhance services and shape inclusive policies, and what risks emerge when deeply personal information is gathered without cultural sensitivity or ethical safeguards. At the heart of the discussion was a powerful question: How can we collect data about queer communities in a way that is safe, respectful, and truly affirming? This comes as the HSRC considers updating its 2015 national survey on attitudes toward homosexuality and gender nonconformity — a move that could help close long-standing gaps in South Africa's understanding of LGBTQI+ lived realities. The webinar also delved into the politics behind it, including the fact that data is not neutral, and is often shaped by unequal power structures and perspectives that privilege the global North. The discussion signaled an important shift: a move toward data that doesn't just count people, but includes them. On the panel was Caio Simões de Araújo, Research Officer at the Other Foundation, who reflected on the decade-long collaboration with the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), which began with the first attitudinal survey on LGBTI issues in South Africa. 'A lot has changed. It has been nearly 10 years,' he said, noting the increased complexity of the research landscape and the greater involvement of civil society. 'The reason why we have rekindled this partnership today is to really think about the last 10 years... what still need to change?' he explained. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Araújo emphasised the importance of involving communities meaningfully in both research and advocacy. 'Our business is supporting civil society organizations and advocacy,' he said. 'So the research report is not the final output. There needs to be a process of activation of this data for political purposes.' Anthony Brown, from UNISA's School of Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Studies, presented on 'the politics of ethics in LGBTIQ+ research.' He questioned the assumptions that position all LGBTIQ+ studies as high risk. 'Behind this process, there's a bit of politics,' he said. Brown criticised ethics committees for pathologising LGBTIQ+ communities as inherently vulnerable. He shared being told his research was 'purple knowledge,' seen as unnecessary. Brown argued this blanket vulnerability lens results in delayed or denied ethical clearance and suppressed knowledge: 'They delay, they exclude, and they deny knowledge.' He added, 'Not all the lives of LGBT identities are at risk. They have agency.' Brown also raised the problem of requiring parental consent for research involving queer youth: 'If we cannot get the consent… we miss out on epistemic justice.' He called for inclusive representation on ethics panels and for ethics training rooted in lived LGBTIQ+ realities. Melanie Judge, a queer feminist activist, scholar, and Adjunct Professor in Public Law at the University of Cape Town made four key points on LGBTQI+ data and advocacy. 'LGBTQ people have always been here. And so there's always been data,' she said, emphasising that lived experience, oral histories, and community knowledge are legitimate data forms. She warned that a lack of big data should not excuse policy inaction. Her second point noted that 'data doesn't always tell us what we want to hear,' citing early research on victimisation that revealed complex, unexpected results. Third, she stressed that research questions are shaped by power and must be informed by lived realities: 'Data is never neutral.' Participatory practices help ensure inclusivity and challenge institutional biases. Lastly, she called for strategic, ethical data advocacy to drive policy change and resist erasure, noting the 2022 Census excluded LGBTQI+ people. 'Now is the time when hard-won gains for rights and justice are increasingly vulnerable to reversal,' she warned. 'Let us continue to blind them with good science.'
eNCA
28-07-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
Survey shows aggressive policing not inspiring trust
JOHANNESBURG - A recent Human Sciences Research Council survey shows that public trust in the police is at an all time low. READ: Violence in schools blamed on inadequate police visibility I t also reveals that aggressive policing is not inspiring the public's trust. Others refer to aggressive policing as zero tolerance, which involves a high degree of police presence and proactive interventions. Dr Ben Roberts, Research Director in the Developmental, Capable and Ethical State research division at the Human Sciences Research Council discussed this with eNCA.
The South African
28-07-2025
- Health
- The South African
Surge in domestic violence cases in SA an 'urgent crisis'
The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) has expressed grave concern over a sharp increase in intimate domestic violence cases across South Africa, calling it a 'deeply troubling and urgent crisis.' According to a 2024 report by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), one in three South African women has experienced physical violence from an intimate partner at some point in her life. The findings reveal the widespread and often invisible trauma endured by millions of women. 'These are not just numbers; they represent the lived realities of millions of women who endure suffering in silence,' the DWYPD stated. 'Behind each statistic is a human story marked by fear, pain, and often isolation.' The department highlighted the various forms of intimate partner violence, which include: Physical violence Sexual violence Emotional and psychological abuse Economic or financial abuse DWYPD stressed that these forms of abuse often co-exist, forming a pattern of coercive control by one partner over another. This form of violence, they explained, goes far beyond physical harm and often includes manipulation, intimidation, and restrictions on financial independence. 'Intimate domestic violence is not a one-time incident,' the department added. 'It is a cycle of control and abuse that escalates over time, leaving deep and long-lasting scars.' The psychological toll of such violence is immense. Many survivors face depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and diminished self-worth. Economically, the situation is just as dire. DWYPD warned that domestic violence can derail women's progress, particularly in terms of economic empowerment, as abuse often prevents victims from holding jobs or controlling their own finances. Globally, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that one in three women worldwide have been subjected to either physical or sexual violence, with the majority of incidents committed by intimate partners. South Africa's statistics are in line with – or in some cases worse than – these international trends. DWYPD is urging greater public awareness, stronger law enforcement responses, and expanded support systems for victims. The department has called for collaborative efforts across government, civil society, and the private sector to prevent and respond to the growing scourge of intimate domestic violence. 'The progress we've made in empowering women cannot be allowed to erode under the weight of domestic abuse,' DWYPD concluded. If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, help is available. Contact the GBV Command Centre at 0800 428 428 or dial 120 7867# for assistance. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
25-07-2025
- IOL News
Families mourn loved ones lost to violence
Olysha and Owen Ganas Image: File AS SUNDAY approaches, the shadow of tragedy looms large for Vani Ganas. Her world was forever altered one year ago when her children, Olysha and Owen Ganas, tragically lost their lives in a car crash on the M19 near Reservoir Hills. The crash, allegedly caused by a reckless street racer, has left their family grappling with a sense of loss and injustice - as no one has been held accountable. Ganas said she and her family felt "let down" by the police. 'None of them have done anything. We do not get feedback anymore. We keep calling but the calls are not answered. They do not respond to emails from us or our attorneys. We were last told that the investigations were ongoing. The investigating officer has changed twice, and none of them have made any headway in the case," Ganas told the POST this week. Video Player is loading. 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Next Stay Close ✕ According to the recent findings by the Human Sciences Research Council's (HSRC) South African Social Attitudes Survey, trust in the police had reached an "all-time low". The findings showed that only 22% of South Africans expressed confidence in the police in 2022, with similarly low levels recorded in 2023 and 2024/25. For Ganas, these findings resonate deeply. She too, she said, had "lost faith in the police". Olysha, 27, a beautician, and her brother, Owen, 25, a plant manager for a construction company, were making a U-turn at a traffic light when the driver of a BMW one series crashed into their Audi A3. Their car exploded into flames. It has been alleged that the BMW driver was a street racer. Police arrested a suspect on August 2, 2024, but the National Prosecuting Authority said the matter was not placed on the court roll due to 'insufficient evidence'. 'The circumstances surrounding the accident were clear. It is shocking that nobody can do anything about it and nobody is held accountable. Forensic tests were done three times to identify my children's remains. We did it privately at our own cost, so the test results could be given to us quicker. Their funerals were conducted two weeks after the incident and they had closed caskets," she said. "Sunday will be one year since my children passed away. We have heard that the person responsible is still racing and doing reckless things. We still hope the driver will be held accountable for their deaths." Ganas said since the incident, she and her husband have been prescribed medication for depression and anxiety, and that Owen's five-year-old son was seeing a child psychologist. Brothers Seelan Pillay (deceased), Vasu Pillay, Brandon Pillay, and Terrance Subramoney (deceased). Image: Supplied Diminished faith Following the deaths of his two brothers in drive-by shootings and a third stabbed to death in Chatsworth, Brandon Pillay said no arrests or updates had also diminished his faith in the police. On October 8, 2022, private investigator Seelan Pillay, 49, a former police officer who was the Bayview Community Policing Forum (BCPF) chairperson at the time, was shot outside a fast food outlet on Lenny Naidu Drive in Bayview. He was handing money to a car guard when an SUV drove up to his vehicle and two suspects fired several shots at him and fled. He died at the scene. Terrance 'Spoons' Subramoney, 48, faced the same fate when gunmen opened fire on him while he was at the intersection of Havenside Drive and Lenny Naidu Drive in on December 3, 2023. About 16 gunshots were fired. The father of four died at the scene, which was less than a kilometer away from the spot where Seelan was killed. Years earlier, his brother, Trevor, was stabbed in the neck. The incident happened on February 22, 1999, when Trevor was only 21. Trevor Subramoney Image: Supplied Pillay, a former Member of Parliament and community activist, said: 'In a space of 13 months, I lost two of my older brothers. They were killed in broad daylight. To this day, nothing has been done and nobody has been arrested. We have lost faith in the police to a large extent.' He said Trevor was alive and bleeding profusely when he saw him, and he had told him who had stabbed him. 'The suspect was caught and spent three-and-a-half years awaiting trial. He went to trial but was acquitted of all charges because the witness's statements became inadmissible as they were highly intoxicated. The justice system let us down,' said Pillay. 'After Seelan's death, we struggled as a family. We struggled to sleep. I was a walking zombie. It destroyed us. I was angry, upset and disappointed and I still am. Seelan gave his entire life to law enforcement. He served the SAPS as a detective for many years, and went on to serve the BCPF. 'He protected the community and still his death became a statistic. We were not over his death or coping with it when the same thing happened to Terrance. 'Despite all the camera footage and evidence, the police have still not moved even an inch with the case. 'As a family we want nothing more than successful arrests. Although this will not bring back our loved ones, we will find solace knowing that the people responsible have been brought to book,' he said. THE POST
IOL News
25-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Public trust in police reaches all-time low
Most South Africans who have lost faith in police are victims of crime or those who fear being attacked Image: Armand Hough Recent findings reveal that public trust in South African police has plummeted to an all-time low, with only 22% of citizens expressing confidence in law enforcement. Most South Africans who have lost faith in police are victims of crime or those who fear being attacked, according to findings by the Human Sciences Research Council's (HSRC) South African Social Attitudes Survey, which was released last week. The survey found that trust levels in the police have remained relatively low over the 1998 to 2024/2025 period, with only 22% of citizens expressing trust in the police in 2022. The 2023 and 2024/25 confidence levels were almost unchanged. Confidence graph Image: HSRC Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 'In 2021, public trust in the police was 27%. This appears to be linked to the July 2021 social unrest. Many criticised the poor performance of the police during the unrest. 'This was followed by a further 5% decline to 22% in 2022, with the 2023 and 2024/2025 confidence levels almost unchanged, which may reflect increasing rates for certain crimes. The 2022/2023 and 2024/2025 figures are the lowest recorded in 27 years,' the findings revealed. Over the 1998 to 2010 period, the average level of trust in the police was relatively static, ranging between 39% and 42%. The findings indicated that the 2016 to 2020 period was characterised by 'modest fluctuation' between 31% and 35%. 'The hard Covid-19 lockdown experience, which included instances of police brutality in enforcing lockdown regulations, did not appear to have had an aggregate effect on confidence levels based on the 2020 survey results. 'In 2021 public trust in the police dipped to a low of 27%, and appeared to be linked to the July 2021 social unrest. Many criticised the poor performance of the police during the unrest. 'Those who displayed lower trust in the police include victims of crime or those who fear being attacked. Well-publicised instances of police abuse or failure can also seem to reduce public confidence. 'Those who had been recent victims of crime displayed significantly lower levels of trust in the police, and fear of crime has a similar effect. 'Higher levels of fear are associated with lower trust in the police. This applies to classic measures such as fear of walking alone in one's area after dark, as well as crime-specific fears, such as worrying about house robberies or violent assault. These associations have been found across multiple rounds of surveying,' the findings noted. Some of the suggestions made by the HSRC on how to regain police trust included promoting competent and ethical police leadership and strengthening the overall system of police governance. Suggestions also included that police should put more measures in place to monitor and control the use of force, and promote a culture of police accountability. "While provincial levels and trajectories have varied, the trend points to a deepening legitimacy crisis for the SAPS across the country, with historically higher-trust provinces converging downward toward the levels of deep scepticism observed in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. "Well-publicised instances of police abuse or failure can also seem to reduce public confidence. It is evident that in a high-crime and socially-divided society, confidence in the police is made up of a mix of views on the fairness and effectiveness of the police, combined with experiences of crime, including worrying about crime, experiences of policing, and even more general views on the functioning of democracy and government. "The risk is that low and diminishing confidence in the police, if left unchecked, will also continue to negatively shape views of key elements of police legitimacy, such as a sense of shared moral values and the duty to obey the police," the HSRC said. Perceptions of police corruption also had a 'strong, negative effect' on police confidence. The survey showed that from past research, the South African public strongly emphasised both police fairness and effectiveness as important elements of their overall assessments of police confidence. 'The more the police are seen to be treating South Africans unfairly, the more they are likely to view the police as untrustworthy. Similarly, perceptions that the police treat people disrespectfully, are not impartial in their decision-making, or lack transparency in the actions (procedural unfairness) also undermine public confidence. 'Lastly, if the police are seen as ineffective, unsuccessful in preventing, reducing and responding to crime, this will also diminish confidence,' the report stated. THE POST
