PORT ELIZABETH - The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) said in a statement on Wednesday that it would provide legal assistance to whistleblower, Thabiso Zuluhas, who has gone into hiding after being shot and wounded.
Zulu, who was also a close friend of slain African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) leader Sindiso Magaqa, testified at the Moerane Commission into ANC political killings in Kwazulu-Natal in 2018 and narrowly escaped with his life after he was shot in a gun attack in Pietermaritzburg in October 2019.
He approached the SAHRC "to protect his right to life and right to freedom and security".
The commission said it would work with the Witness Protection office and other stakeholders to help Zulu, "pending the outcome of the review application which was brought by the president and minister of Police against the report of the Public Protector, requesting SAPS to provide protection to Zulu".
It also said it would assist him in the review application.
The commission said it was concerned over the October 2019 attempt on Zulu's life and that there was no finality on providing him with protection to date.
It said that in terms of the Constitution the State was obliged to assist Zulu. “The state must respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights in the Bill of Rights.”
"Despite confusion and disputes over which state entity should provide Zulu with protection, the Constitution clearly obliges the state to protect his right to life and freedom and security," the SAHRC said.