Activists offer to help Justice Department redraft long-delayed Bill to decriminalise sex work
Sex workers and activists are calling for urgency reviving a bill to decriminalise sex work, which is being drafted for the second time.
On Monday, 2 June, members of Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (Sweat) and the Asijiki Coalition set up desks and chairs outside the offices of the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Cape Town. The mock 'help desk' was meant to represent sex workers and the DOJ drafting the bill together, with the seat reserved for the DOJ left empty. A large sign at the desk read: 'Sex workers are here to help you to redraft the bill.'
'Maybe they will come down and draft the Bill with us,' said Lloyd Rugara, provincial coordinator for the Sisonke National Sex Work Movement.
It's been two years since the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Bill of 2022 was withdrawn and sent back to be revised. In May 2023 state law advisers raised concerns about the Bill's lack of regulation, according to former deputy minister John Jeffery. The new deputy minister, Andries Nel, has since taken office.
Sex worker organisations have demanded a clear timeframe for the Bill's implementation, consultations with sex workers, and the prioritisation of the 'long-delayed reform'.
Constance Mathe, national coordinator at Asijiki, said that since funding cuts from USAID caused sex worker-friendly clinics to close down, sex workers have struggled to access health services at public facilities. They face stigma and long waiting hours at clinics and hospitals, she says.
Mathe says the Bill would mean sex workers would be recognised under labour laws and would have safer working conditions.
Mathe also raised concerns about the lack of consultation with sex workers during the second drafting of the Bill, saying the drafting process was taking too long. 'No redrafting can take two years,' she said.
DOJ official Ashika Singh went outside to meet the activists. She said the department would give them a response within three weeks. DM
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
9 hours ago
- IOL News
Minerals Council urges government to create supportive framework for mining investment
A miner works several km underground in a gold mine on Gauteng's far West Rand. Image: Nicola Mawson | IOL The Minerals Council South Africa has highlighted the need for legislation that supports investment, growth, and job creation in the country's mining sector, following its submission on the Mineral Resources Development Bill by the August 13 deadline. Speaking at a media briefing, the various representatives of the council, which represents 70 mining companies responsible for more than 90% of South Africa's mineral sales, said the proposed bill should provide certainty and predictability for investors. 'The regulatory environment must be conducive to encouraging investment in exploration, mine development and sustain existing mining operations so that the industry can grow, create jobs and generate the wealth it is capable of delivering for the benefit of all South Africans,' said Mzila Mthenjane, CEO of the Minerals Council. The Mining Affected Communities United in Action has expressed concern over the Bill betraying the transformation objectives fought for during the Liberation Struggle. The organisation said that, instead of advancing democratic participation and justice, the amendments entrench the power of mining companies and marginalise the voices of communities. Clear definitions, consistent administration, and coordinated engagement between government departments were flagged as key to fostering confidence in the sector by the council. Concerns were raised over declining exploration expenditure, pointing to South Africa's low ranking in investment attractiveness, as measured by the Fraser Institute. It stressed the need for a legislative framework that encourages global competitiveness and attracts investment, which in turn could boost job creation and economic growth. To address this, it has provided specific recommendations that includes clarifying the empowerment regime, publishing incentives for infrastructure development, streamlining monitoring and environmental obligations, and addressing illegal mining while ensuring compliance with health and safety standards. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The Minerals Council said it would continue extensive engagement with the Department of Mineral Resources to refine the bill, noting that the process would involve multiple stakeholders and take time. The council emphasised that negotiations would remain internal, with a focus on constructive engagement rather than public disputes. Key elements of the Bill that will be the focus of the Minerals Council engagement with the department include beneficiation, empowerment, tailings, and mine closure provisions, which rely heavily on unpublished regulations and, in their current form are potentially disruptive to mining operations and potential investment. The Council also called for the publication of the socio-economic impact assessment conducted for the bill, describing it as critical for transparency and informed public engagement. While acknowledging past challenges in legislative processes, the council said the current political climate presents an opportunity to advance policies that support investment and growth. It stressed that a collaborative approach between industry and government would be key to achieving a favourable outcome. The mining sector remains a significant contributor to gross domestic product (GDP) and employment, despite recent declines. A supportive legislative framework can unlock further exploration, development, and job creation, it indicated. In 2024, the mining sector contributed 6% to South Africa's total nominal GDP, according to African Business. This translates to approximately R100 billion in national revenue, and employing almost half-a-million people. The Minerals Council will continue submitting detailed inputs and engaging with stakeholders to ensure the final bill strengthens the sector while promoting transformation and economic growth. IOL
The Citizen
4 days ago
- The Citizen
Gauteng MEC to visit Maponya Mall to assess ongoing tensions in public transport sector
Gauteng MEC to visit Maponya Mall to assess ongoing tensions in public transport sector Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, will visit Maponya Mall on Thursday to assess ongoing tensions in the public transport sector, engage with affected stakeholders, and review the situation on the ground. This is according to the South African Government News Agency ( The visit follows a violent incident on Wednesday at the mall, allegedly involving taxi operators and e-hailing drivers, which resulted in one fatality and left two others injured. ALSO READ: One dead in suspected taxi violence at Maponya Mall In response to the growth of e-hailing services, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed an amended National Land Transport Act (NLTA) 5 of 2009 into law last year, allowing e-hailing operators to apply for operating licences in the same manner as other public transport providers. @sowetourbannews Community blocks roads following e-hailing violence at Maponya Mall, Soweto Protestors march in support of e-hailing drivers after a e-hailing driver was killed in a suspected taxi violence attack on August 13. Workers of Maponya Mall also came out in numbers in their uniform to join the protest. 📹: @ #maponyamall #klipspruit ♬ original sound – Soweto Urban News – Soweto Urban News The National Land Transport Act was originally presented to the president in 2020 but was returned to the National Assembly for reconsideration. The revised Bill updates the Act to reflect developments since its implementation, simplifies provisions, and resolves issues that have arisen. ALSO READ: WATCH: Community protests after the death and injuries of e-hailing drivers It also makes allowances for non-motorised and accessible transport and expands the minister's powers to introduce regulations and safety measures. The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport continues to monitor the situation closely and aims to ensure the safety of commuters while maintaining order in the sector.
IOL News
5 days ago
- IOL News
Macua demands urgent withdrawal of the Mineral Resources Development Bill
Members of the Mining Affected Communities United in Action (Macua) gathered outside the offices of the Mineral and Resources, in Pretoria, to make submission against the proposed Mineral Resources Development Bill. Image: Supplied The Mining Affected Communities United in Action (Macua) has called for the withdrawal of the current proposed Mineral Resources Development Bill, saying it should be restructured and rebuilt with the people at the centre. The organisation held a protest in five provincial offices of the Mineral and Resources across the country on Wednesday, to make submissions opposing the draft bill. The provinces include Pretoria (Gauteng), Klerksdorp (North West), Emalahleni (Mpumalanga), Polokwane (Limpopo), and Welkom in the Free State. The Bill was published for public comment on May 20, 2025, with a submission deadline of August 13, 2025. It aims to ensure policy and regulatory certainty, enhance investor confidence, reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies, and improve turnaround times for mining rights, permits, and regulatory approvals, as well as formally recognise artisanal mining and advance transformation in the mining sector. However, in its submission, Macua said this is no milestone for those who bear the brunt of mining's footprint, those who live with the dust, displacement, environmental degradation, and broken promises. The organisation said the Bill fails to deliver justice, equity, or transformation. The submission document stated that despite extensive, legally grounded submissions from Macua, the MPRDA Coalition, Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS), and other civil society partners, including constitutional benchmarks, legislative proposals, and community-authored clauses, core inputs have been ignored, and the result is a Bill that not only omits the tenets of post-apartheid justice but also reconfigures the regulatory architecture to entrench exclusion under the guise of reform. 'Nowhere is this betrayal more evident than in the Bill's refusal to enshrine Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for communities residing on communal and customary land. The Constitution, IPILRA (Interim Protection of Informal Land Rights Act), and landmark rulings such as Maledu and Baleni affirm that land rights holders must provide informed consent, not merely be 'consulted', before mining can proceed,' said Macua, adding that the Bill entrenches a weak and discretionary consultation model that lacks enforceability. 'Worse, it omits any recognition of customary governance systems or collective land rights, ignoring the lived realities of rural, informal, and traditional communities,' the organisation said. Independent Media tried to get a comment from the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, but spokesperson Johannes Mokobane said he was in the meeting and will revert. The submission also stated that this is not a legislative oversight, but a deliberate political choice and one that aligns with the interests of extractive capital rather than those of historically dispossessed communities. Macua said this paves the way for forced removals, land dispossession, and State-sanctioned displacement without community control. Macua added that the Bill was not based on meaningful public consultation and it has ignored the differential impact of mining on women and landless people, adding that it offers no impact analysis of removing community protections. 'Using such a shallow and exclusionary process as the evidentiary foundation of the law is indefensible.' The submission document stated that the Bill provides no framework for displacement, resettlement or restitution. Despite years of documented abuses, including relocations without compensation, dispossession of burial sites, and community fragmentation, the Bill sidesteps the issue entirely. 'This silence perpetuates spatial injustice, especially in the context of the government's Critical Minerals Strategy, which targets new zones for extraction in areas like the Waterberg, Sekhukhune, and Pondoland without safeguards,' said Macua. The organisation said it proposed statutory protections against forced removal, minimum compensation standards, as well as environmental and social planning obligations tied to land tenure, but all were ignored. Macua said the Bill introduces a new artisanal mining permit under Section 27A, but it is a deeply flawed and exclusionary instrument that fails to reflect the realities of informal mining communities or support meaningful transformation. According to Macua, while the Bill appears to empower the minister to identify areas for artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), this authority is purely discretionary and is not accompanied by any procedural requirements, designation criteria, or support structures. The organisation said there is no legal obligation to map, consult, or designate zones where ASM can operate lawfully and sustainably.
