Latest news with #MmamolokoKubayi
Eyewitness News
a day ago
- General
- Eyewitness News
BOSA unhappy Justice Ministry won't grant it access to the National Register of Sex Offenders
JOHANNESBURG - Build One South Africa (BOSA) is displeased with the Justice Ministry's rejection of their request to gain access to the National Register for Sex Offenders (NRSO). The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, had committed to releasing the list in February this year but retracted, citing legal concerns. In response, the party submitted an application in the form of a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) to the department, which grants individuals access to information held by public or private bodies. ALSO READ: BOSA says public sexual offenders list important for parents to protect children A day after Child Protection Week started last week on Friday, the Department of Justice wrote back to the political party rejecting their application for the release of the sex offenders list. BOSA initially made the application for the release of the list in March, calling for the protection of children against predators. The department says Section 52 of the Sexual Offences and Related Crimes Act says anyone found to have disclosed the contents of the NRSO can be fined or jailed for up to three years. BOSA spokesperson Roger Solomons says it is disappointing as the country keeps seeing a rise in the abuse of children. "As BOSA, we note with great frustration and anger the Justice Ministry's rejection of our Promotion of Access to Information Act, where we requested to gain access to this highly secretive register of sex offenders, which government is hellbent on keeping under wraps." He says there is public interest in the matter, which should trump privacy laws.
Eyewitness News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Justice Minister Kubayi vows to ensure tighter systems in place to punish violent crimes against women & children
JOHANNESBURG - Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has vowed to ensure that tighter systems are in place to punish violent crimes against women and children amid a spate of attacks that have rocked the country. Kubayi accepted memoranda from child protection organisations during a march to the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg on Sunday. The march was jointly organised with the Gauteng Department of Social Development to provide a platform for children to raise their safety concerns, as the country observes Child Protection Awareness Month. Kubayi said that rapes, murders and human trafficking were among the issues that needed to be urgently addressed. While she said that she did not support the death penalty, Kubayi said that the sentence must fit the crime. "We can't have parents commercialising their children. It has to stop and all of us have to work together to stop this. We are saying on our side, we will continue to improve the systems."
eNCA
3 days ago
- Politics
- eNCA
Children take concerns to ConCourt
JOHANNESBURG - Children have taken their concerns over abuse to the Constitutional Court. They are demanding tougher laws to better protect them. Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi says the Criminal Procedures Act must be changed. She will discuss this with Judge President Mandisa Maya. Kubayi admits to shortcomings in the criminal justice system that she hopes policy amendments will address.
The Herald
3 days ago
- General
- The Herald
Families of Cradock Four due to testify at reopened inquest into their murders
A reopened inquest into the deaths of four United Democratic Front activists in Cradock is set down from Monday until June 12 in the Gqeberha High Court. Matthew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sicelo Mhlauli and Sparrow Mkonto were killed by apartheid-era security branch officers in June 1985. In 1987, a first inquest found the Cradock Four had been killed by "unknown persons". A second inquest in 1993 ruled their deaths had been caused by the police but no one has been prosecuted. Six police officers applied for amnesty from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in connection with the murders. This was refused by the TRC in 1999. All are deceased, the first in 1998 and the last in 2023 . "It is a bittersweet moment for the families, who have watched the men responsible for the deaths of their husbands and fathers live out their lives in comfort and die without ever being held accountable. The democratic state has had 30 years to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the killings and the masterminds behind the assassinations. It has failed on every front," the families and Foundation for Human Rights said in a statement. The families of the Cradock Four said during this phase of the inquest, only family witnesses will be called to give evidence. Testimony from former state officials will be heard at a later date, when funding for their legal costs has been finalised. Justice and constitutional development minister Mmamoloko Kubayi will attend the opening day of proceedings before judge Thami Beshe. "The initial sitting will focus on placing on record the parties and legal representatives involved in the matter, and the judge will also provide direction on the issue of conducting an inspection in loco at the original crime scenes," the minister's office said. " The inquest forms part of ongoing efforts by the department to address unresolved cases from the apartheid era and to advance justice and closure for affected families and communities." TimesLIVE
IOL News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Justice Minister Kubayi heads to Ghana for crucial International Criminal Court retreat on Kampala Amendments
Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi travels to Accra for a key ICC retreat, advancing Africa's unified stance on the Kampala Amendments and strengthening international justice cooperation. Image: File Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, is travelling to Accra, Ghana, on Monday to participate in a high-level retreat on the Kampala Amendments and International Criminal Justice from May 19 to 21, 2025. The retreat will bring together Ministers of Justice and senior officials from all 33 African States Parties to the International Criminal Court (ICC), as well as representatives from the ICC Presidency, the Assembly of States Parties (ASP), the ICC Trust Fund for Victims, African Union officials, and international legal experts. These amendments define the Crime of Aggression and establish the conditions under which the ICC can exercise jurisdiction over it, said Terrence Manase, spokesperson to the Minister. According to Manase, an act of aggression includes using armed force by one state against another in violation of the United Nations (UN) Charter, such as invasion, military occupation, annexation by force, bombardment, or blockade. 'The Ministry welcomes this opportunity for meaningful engagement and continental collaboration as African States continue to shape a credible and effective international criminal justice system.' 'Minister Kubayi's participation highlights the country's support for multilateralism, the fight against impunity, and the advancement of an inclusive and balanced global justice system,'' he said. The retreat builds on a successful pilot meeting held in Johannesburg in October 2024, which raised awareness and fostered a sense of ownership among African States Parties in advocating for a fair and legitimate crime of aggression regime. 'The Johannesburg retreat was a turning point. It laid the foundation for Africa to speak with one voice on the issue of aggression and the future of international justice,' said Manase. 'This next phase in Accra is about consolidating that progress and finalising a unified African position.' Manase noted that the Kampala Amendments on the Crime of Aggression are a set of legal changes adopted in 2010 at the Review Conference of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), held in Kampala, Uganda. The retreat, organised in partnership with the Ministries of Justice of Ghana, Sierra Leone, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, will further deliberate on an amendment proposal submitted by the Group of Friends (GoF), a coalition of supportive states. 'The Minister views this as an essential step in strengthening the global justice system from an African perspective,' Manase said. Manase said the goal is to finalise a unified African position on the Kampala Amendments ahead of discussions at the Assembly of States Parties. [email protected] Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. IOL Politics
