South Africa does not need a special dispensation to cater for indigenous groups and minorities as its Constitution protects and guarantees the cultural, linguistic and religious rights of all her people, IEC's Pansy Tlakula told a meeting looking at minority rights earlier today.

As Africa celebrates its Human Rights Day, issues affecting the right of indigenous groups took centre stage.  At the conference preparing to submit the country's report on the issue to the UN some minorities around the world continue to face serious threats, discrimination and exclusion from economic and political life of their respective countries.  But some accuse South Africa of marginalising them.

The Commission for the Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities says some still feel marginalised even though they are part of a broader majority.  Decisions taken at the conference will help compile a country report that will be submitted to the UN Forum on Minority Rights in Geneva next month.