It’s clear we’re not going to achieve decrim in 2024″ say activist
- The draft decriminalisation of sex work bill will be revised.
- The Department of Justice was advised that the bill needed more detailed regulations on sex work if it is decriminalised.
- However, sex worker activist groups are worried that this will further delay decriminalisation, especially with the 2024 elections looming.
- Regulations on sex work may include how it will affect municipal bylaws or regulations on brothels.
Parliament’s draft bill to decriminalise sex work is to be revised after the state’s legal advisors flagged serious shortfalls. They said the bill may not be approved by Cabinet if the necessary regulations were not yet in place. These may include regulations on brothels or how each municipality’s bylaws, under which sex workers are often arrested or fined, would be impacted.
The current draft bill, which has been through extensive public consultations, decriminalises sex work to ensure better protection for sex workers from violence, among other things. However, it does not make provisions for how this change in legislation will impact existing regulations.
Read full article: South Africa: ‘Tough Blow’ for Sex Workers As Decrim Bill Delayed
Photo: Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp
