In this article, I revisit the question of socio-economic transformation in South Africa to illustrate how it connects with human rights, essentially because, as I argue, transformation is unattainable without a comprehensive understanding of the central role of human rights in activating that process. I state the claim that the progressive human rights culture on the basis of which South Africa launched itself from the demise of apartheid into one of the most treasured constitutional democracies globally is noticeably disintegrating, displaying signs of post-independence failures that have bedevilled many other African countries. It leaves unanswered questions with regard to the transitional promise for a better life and equitable opportunities. Not only is the political intent to actualise the project for socio-economic transformation apparently lacking, prospects that the expectations of the impoverished segments of the population may never be fulfilled prompts the need for an in-depth diagnosis of the contrasts that dissociate the country from its constitutional commitment to remedy the injustices of the past, which remain visible in legislation, policies, institutional practices, governance mechanisms and social perceptions that seem to be hardwired to accommodate transformation. I aim to demonstrate that even though South Africa’s constitutional democracy is anchored on a radical undertaking to eradicate the injustices that unreasonably limit options for the larger part of the population, there is no genuine adherence to the constitutional standards for transformation under the present dispensation, which is shaped by misconceived and misdirected priorities at the expense of human rights that lie at the core of the project for socio-economic transformation. I articulate these viewpoints by bringing into sharper focus the connection between human rights and transformation so that perhaps, the arguments may provide conceptual direction in academic discourses and probably also shape policy direction in crafting transformative solutions to the socio-economic exigencies that South Africa is confronted with.

在这篇文章中，我重新审视了南非社会经济转型的问题，以说明它如何与人权联系起来，主要是因为，正如我所主张的，如果不全面了解人权在启动这一进程中的核心作用，就无法实现转型。 . 我声称，南非在其基础上的进步人权文化正在从种族隔离的消亡中脱颖而出，成为全球最珍贵的宪政民主国家之一，正在明显瓦解，显示出独立后失败的迹象，这些迹象一直困扰着许多其他非洲国家国家。它留下了关于改善生活和平等机会的过渡承诺的悬而未决的问题。不仅显然缺乏实现社会经济转型项目的政治意图，而且贫困人口的期望可能永远无法实现的前景促使需要深入诊断使国家与社会脱节的对比。其宪法承诺纠正过去的不公正现象，这些不公正现象在立法、政策、体制做法、治理机制和社会观念中仍然可见，而这些观念似乎天生就适应转型。我的目标是证明，尽管南非的宪政民主立足于消除不合理限制大部分人口选择的不公正现象的激进事业，在目前的制度下，没有真正遵守宪法规定的转型标准，这是由误解和误导的优先事项形成的，以牺牲作为社会经济转型项目核心的人权为代价。我通过更加突出人权与变革之间的联系来阐明这些观点，以便这些论点或许可以在学术讨论中提供概念方向，并可能在制定针对南非面临的社会经济紧急情况的变革性解决方案时形成政策方向和。