The Commission of Inquiry Regarding the Prevention of Public Violence and Intimidation (under the chairmanship of Justice Richard Goldstone) was appointed by former State President FW de Klerk on 24 October 1991, to inquire into the phenomenon of public violence and intimidation in the Republic of South Africa, the nature and causes thereof and what persons were involved therein. It also inquired into any steps that should be taken in order to prevent public violence and intimidation. The Commission made 47 recommendations to the State President.

Largely as a result of an initiative of the Norwegian Government, the State President agreed to the establishment of an institute of the Commission. The Institute for the Study of Public Violence was established in June 1993. Commonly known as the Goldstone Institute, its main role had been the documentation of material relating to public violence and intimidation as well as research. The institute had a sophisticated computer capability and was a unique source of information of value not only to the Commission but to the general public and, in particular, the media. The Norwegian Government funded the computer requirements of the Institute as well as the experts who were so essential in setting it up. The Commission paid for the accommodation of the Institute and the salaries of its officials and staff. The assets of the Institute are held by a company not for gain duly registered under section 21 of the South African Companies Act of 1973.

In 1994 the Commission and the trustees of the Institute resolved that the Institute should become an independent non-governmental organisation, the Human Rights Institute of South Africa (HURISA) and that its field of operation be extended to cover all aspects of human rights in South Africa.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Human Rights Institute of South Africa (HURISA) is an NGO that offers professional services towards the promotion of a human rights culture, peace and democracy.

HURISA’s staff is committed to providing training in human rights, to disseminating human rights information and to conducting research and advocacy.

HURISA works with civil society organisations, government departments and special target groups in South Africa and on the continent.

VISION

HURISA envisages a society in which all people are aware of their human rights, how their human rights can be realised and how redress mechanisms can be accessed.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors comprises of prominent persons who have a proven commitment to human rights, good governance and democracy. While most have legal training, all have considerable experience and expertise of human rights issues and the governance of non-governmental organisations.

Board Members: Ms Sheena Duncan (Chairperson); (Duncan: A long-time human rights activist. Member of Gunfree South Africa. Member of Black Sash) Ms Irene Menell; (Menell: Member of the Nelson Mandela Foundation Executive Committee. Member of the READ organisation which promotes literacy amongst blacks in South Africa. First Executive Director of HURISA.) Ms Shirley Mabusela; (Mabusela: Trustee of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund. A children's rights activist and former chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission. A drafter of the children's rights clauses in the South African constitution) Advocate Salim Ebrahim; (Ebrahim: Advocate of the Supreme Court of South Africa.) Prof Danny Titus; (Titus: Deputy Executive Dean, College of Law, University of South Africa. Former Executive Director of HURISA) Judge Richard Goldstone; (Goldstone: Associate Professor. First Chairman of HURISA Board of Directors. A former judge of the Constitutional Court of South Africa. Former Chief Prosecutor for the UN Tribunals for Yugoslavia and Rwanda) Dr Johan Olivier; (Olivier: Human Rights Consultant. Former chief research specialist at the Centre for Conflict Analysis at the Human Sciences Research Council) and Advocate Solly Sithole. (Sithole: Advocate of the Supreme Court of South Africa. Former commissioner of the Goldstone Commission of Inquiry)

Acting Director: Ms Corlett Letlojane