WITCHCRAFT SUPPRESSION ACT, 1957: SA LAW REFORM COMMISSION REVIEW REPORT RELEASED

WITCHCRAFT SUPPRESSION ACT, 1957: SA LAW REFORM COMMISSION REVIEW REPORT RELEASED

• 13 October 2026
• Justice & Constitutional Development
• SA Legal Academy

Following its review of the 1957 Witchcraft Suppression Act, the South African Law Reform Commission has published a report recommending the Act’s repeal and replacement with a Prohibition of Harmful Witchcraft Practices Bill – a draft of which is included. The review began in September 2014 with the release of an issue paper for public comment

According to an accompanying media statement, the report:

• draws attention to ‘the need to draw a distinction between witchcraft as a religious and cultural practice … and practices associated with harmful witchcraft’
• recognises that ‘certain acts that may be considered harmful due to the belief in witchcraft’, and
• underscores the constitutional right to:
  • freedom of religion, belief and opinion
  • practice one’s culture and to speak one’s language
  • freedom of expression
  • equality
  • personal freedom and security
  • human dignity, and
  • freedom of trade, occupation and profession.

The report also highlights the importance of education and public awareness programmes on ‘harmful witchcraft’ and its association with ‘the ability to manipulate supernatural powers’ to the detriment of targeted people and their property.

• report
• media statement

Published by SA Legal Academy Policy Watch

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