Ramaphosa signs hate crimes and hate speech bill into law
JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed the Preventing and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill into law.
The legislation, which was passed by Parliament in December, addresses hate speech and hate crimes and the prosecution of people who commit these offences.
The spokesperson of the president, Vincent Magwenya, said: This legislative measure gives effect to South Africa’s obligations in terms of the constitution and international human rights instruments concerning racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, in accordance with international law obligations.”
South Africa’s Bill of Rights, in Section 9 of the Constitution, prohibits direct or indirect unfair discrimination against anyone on the basis of race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language, or place of birth.
Magwenya said the new Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act calls for the gathering and recording of data on hate crimes and hate speech, the prevention of hate crimes and hate speech, and the implementation of effective enforcement measures.
“A hate crime is committed if a person commits any recognised offence under any law that is motivated by prejudice or intolerance on the basis of one or more characteristics or perceived characteristics of the victim, as listed in the legislation, or a family member of the victim,” the spokesperson said.
The definition also includes acts that target the victim’s support or affiliation with an individual who possesses one or more of the specified traits or with a group of individuals who share these traits.