March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has launched the South Africa First Forum, an initiative aimed at helping citizens access legal services and address alleged human rights violations.
Ngobese-Zuma announced the forum during a media briefing in Durban on Monday night, saying the initiative was established to create opportunities for South Africans and support communities across various areas of society.
According to Ngobese-Zuma, the forum will focus on empowering communities through human rights education, information on immigration laws, legal education, advocacy and other support services.
She said the organisation would seek to ensure that South Africans, particularly black citizens, have greater access to justice.
“We announce the movement, bold decision to establish a forum for all South Africans, the black in particular. This forum will provide justice to the people of South Africa who, for many years, justice has remained a dream,” Ngobese-Zuma said.
She said the forum has been registered as a non-profit organisation and would operate under the name SA First Forum.
Ngobese-Zuma described the organisation as a platform that would advocate for the interests of South African citizens and, where necessary, take legal action against the state.
“We have established an NPO which will trade under the name SA First Forum. It will be the vanguard of all South African citizens and it will, when necessary, litigate against the state on behalf of predominantly black people,” she said.
The launch comes as March and March continues to campaign on issues including immigration, access to public services and the protection of the rights of South African citizens.
The forum is expected to provide communities with information and legal assistance while advocating for what the organisation says are the rights and interests of South Africans.