Governmental promotion and advancement of the recognition of the Indigenous People of the Republic of South Africa who are registered as Indigenous Groups on the Government’s Database as defined by the United Nations

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NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

FOR WRITTEN REPLY

QUESTION NO: 15 (CO88E)

PUBLISHED IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 1-2012 OF 6 MARCH 2012

Mr D Joseph (DA-WC) to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation:

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(1) Why does the Government not (a) promote and (b) advance the course of recognition as the United Nations defines the indigenous people of the Republic of South Africa who are registered as indigenous groups on the Government’s database?

REPLY

(1) The Government does promote and advance the course of recognition of the indigenous people of South Africa. The involvement of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation in the issues of Khoi-San communities is derived primarily from the international instruments that provide for the promotion and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples. The key existing instruments and mechanism in this regard are:

• The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), 2007.

• The International Labour Organisation Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No.169).

• United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, 2000.

• United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 2007.

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