Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has confirmed the circulation of a draft bill to make South Africa's National Register for Sex Offenders (NRSO) accessible to the public. The move responds to long-standing calls from activists and addresses concerns over child protection. The amendments await a constitutionality review.
Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi confirmed in a parliamentary response that a draft bill amending the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Act has been circulated for comment. The changes target confidentiality and disclosure provisions for the NRSO, aiming to allow public access.
Kubayi answered a question from Build One South Africa (Bosa) deputy leader Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster. In a February 2025 statement, she highlighted accessibility issues, noting that "Several NGOs have reported that gaining information from the NRSO is a slow and frustrating process. Ordinary South Africans and parents have no way to easily check whether the people they trust with their children have a history of sexual crimes."
The NRSO, established in 2007 and operational since 2009, lists about 30,000 convicted sexual offenders against children and vulnerable people. Currently, only employers in sectors like schools and hospitals can check it. Advocacy grew in 2019, with President Cyril Ramaphosa signalling intent to publicise it, though progress stalled.
Recent teacher-related assaults exposed vetting failures in the Department of Education. Bosa welcomed the step as "an important step forward in a long-standing fight to better protect vulnerable people," but expressed concern over the pending constitutional review by the State Law Adviser.
