HATE SPEECH BILL READY TO LEAVE PARLIAMENT

HATE SPEECH BILL READY TO LEAVE PARLIAMENT

• 27 November 2023
• Parliament
• SA Legal Academy

Please note: Parliament passed the Bill on 5 December 2023 and sent it to the President for signature.

The National Assembly’s Justice & Correctional Services Committee has tabled a report in the House accepting all amendments to the Prevention & Combating of Hate Crimes & Hate Speech proposed by the NCOP. However, the committee report does not feature in legislation to be considered during National Assembly plenaries scheduled for the remainder of 2023 – at least according to the latest parliamentary programme. It is therefore unlikely to be sent to the President for signature until the House reconvenes after its long festive season recess.

At the time of writing, the Bill’s ‘C’ version was not available. Once published, it will incorporate amendments listed in the NCOP committee’s 8 November 2023 report, which were the focus of an SA Legal Academy article at the time.

Among other things, the revised Bill will reduce from eight to six years the period of imprisonment upon conviction of the offence of hate speech. The definition of the term will remain as reflected in clause 4 of the Bill’s ‘B’ version, which makes it an offence with certain exceptions in specific contexts.

• parliamentary papers including National Assembly committee report (page 4)
• parliamentary papers including NCOP committee report with proposed amendments (page 7)
• Bill’s ‘B’ version (reflecting the agreed definition of hate speech)
• SA Legal Academy 8 November 2023 report
• latest parliamentary programme

Published by SA Legal Academy Policy Watch

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