Minister Kubayi calls for a review of legislation that prohibits publication of information contained in sex offenders' list
The minister previously committed to releasing the register at the end of February amid growing calls for the disclosure of the contents of the register.
FILE: Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi. Picture: @DOJCD_ZA/X
JOHANNESBURG - Justice and Constitutional Development Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi has called for the review of legislation that prohibits the publication of information contained in the national register for sexual offenders.
The minister previously committed to releasing the register at the end of February amid growing calls for the disclosure of the contents of the register.
However, the legislation prohibits this.
Kubayi addressed the media on the sidelines of the department’s launch of Human Rights Month in Soweto.
According to section 52 of the sexual offences and Related Crimes Act.
Anyone found to have disclosed the contents of, among others, the register for sexual offences can be fined or jailed for up to three years.
READ: BOSA calls on Minister Kubayi to fulfill promise of releasing sex offenders' list on Friday
The confidentiality clause together with the Popi Act are what prohibits the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development from freely publishing the information.
The register contains the names, identity numbers and physical addresses, among others, of persons convicted of sexual offences against children and mentally disabled persons as per Section 49 of the act.
Justice Minister, Mmamoloko kubayi has taken issue with this clause.
"There is definitely a need for a review of the legislation. What we need currently is an agreement with the regulator on how they should be… the confidentiality clause has to be removed from the act itself."
At this stage, by the end of February, the publication of the register cannot take place.