Minister Lamola updates the nation on decriminalising sex work in South Africa

Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, will on Friday, 09 December 2022 outline progress on the decriminalisation of sex work in South Africa through the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Bill.

Cabinet approved the publishing of the bill on 30 November 2022 for public comments. The Bill repeals the Sexual Offences Act (previously Immorality Act), 1957 (Act 23 of 1957). It also repeals Section 11 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offenses and Related Matters) Amendment Act, 2007 (Act 32 of 2007) to decriminalise the sale and purchase of adult sexual services.

The proposals of this Bill respond to the list of interventions proposed in Pillar 3 (Protection, Safety and Justice) of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, which enjoins the criminal justice system to provide protection, safety and justice for survivors of GBV, and to effectively hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.

Currently, sex work in South Africa is criminalised by way of two statutes, namely the Sexual Offences Act, 1957 (Act No. 23 of 1957) and the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32, 2007 (Act No 32 of 2007).

Source: Government of South Africa