INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION IN CRIMINAL MATTERS, EXTRADITION BILLS HEAD TO PARLIAMENT

INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION IN CRIMINAL MATTERS, EXTRADITION BILLS HEAD TO PARLIAMENT

• 11 July 2025
• Parliament
• SA Legal Academy

The required pre-tabling explanatory summaries have been gazetted for two more Bills approved by Cabinet on 14 May 2025.

According to its explanatory summary, the Extradition Bill will seek to:

• ‘address delays in … (finalising) extradition requests’
• ‘clarify some of the roles and responsibilities of the functionaries involved in extradition proceedings’
• ensure that the legislative framework:
  • ‘covers all necessary practical arrangements’
  • meets South Africa’s obligations under international law, and
  • is ‘consistent’ with constitutional imperatives, and
• ‘provides for the arrest, detention and surrender of persons to an entity having jurisdiction in respect of international crimes (such as war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide)’.

As SA Legal Academy has already reported, the International Co-operation in Criminal Matters Amendment Bill’s explanatory summary draws attention to provisions seeking to:

• ‘allow for the giving of evidence … by means of audio-visual link, and
• ‘facilitate the provision of evidence’ to international entities, in compliance South Africa’s international obligations.

For more information on each Bill, please click the links below:

• Extradition Bill’s explanatory summary
• International Co-operation in Criminal Matters Amendment Bill’s explanatory summary
• media statement on the Cabinet meeting at which the Bills were approved for tabling
• SA Legal Academy report on the International Co-operation in Criminal Matters Amendment Bill

Published by SA Legal Academy Policy Watch

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