Notably, rights deteriorating are: the right to ‘human dignity’, ‘freedom of religion, belief and opinion’, ‘freedom of expression’, ‘political rights’, ‘freedom of movement and residence’, ‘freedom of trade, occupation and profession’, ‘property’, ‘health care, food, water and social security’, ‘children’ and ‘equality’.

The report highlights that food insecurity is the highest it has been in a decade. Severe uncertainties embedded within the National Health Insurance Act, 2023, like the procurement of funds to finance universal health coverage, greatly risk limiting the right to access healthcare services (section 27) and could potentially destroy the private healthcare sector.

Children’s right to basic nutrition remains greatly under threat, with less than 21% of children receiving enough nutrition. Despite government efforts in the form of social grants and school nutrition programmes, responses remain inadequate. Additionally, disruptions to school feeding programmes have further exacerbated the crisis.

In 2024, South Africa’s unemployment rate was ca. 32,8% - with an even higher youth (aged 15-34 years) unemployment rate of ca. 45,5%. During the same period, almost half (49,4%) of young women were unemployed. The lack of safety in South Africa is a critical barrier to entry for women who want to participate in the economy. This impacts negatively on the realisation of the right to freedom of trade, occupation or profession, as enshrined in the Constitution.

Income inequality remained alarmingly high, with the IMF also expressing concerns that South Africa's pronounced income inequality could further destabilise the nation's socio-economic landscape, in addition to hampering economic growth.

High murder rates, health care disparities, firearm mismanagement and inefficiencies in law enforcement, all threaten the right to life (section 11).

The report also showed that the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act, 2024 (“BELA Act”), endangers constitutional rights by centralising control over education with the Government and disempowering school governing bodies (i.e. parents). Additionally, budget cuts caused a crisis, with many provinces unable to afford teachers