No place for child abusers

Nine out of 10 sex offenders are repeat abusers which this move aims to stop.

- Thando Nondywana

The decision to make the National Register for Sex Offenders (NRSO) public at the end of this month has been welcomed as a groundbreaking shift to combat sexual violence.

However, advocacy groups have warned that the effectiveness of the register depends entirely on implementation.

According to the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi, the list of sexual offenders and gender-based violence (GBV) perpetrators will be published and available to the public by the end of February. This is aimed at curbing femicide and keeping parents more informed.

Kubayi spokesperson Terrence Manase said the NRSO had 32 501 active "offenders active" who have been convicted of a sexual offence. An additional 10 325 individuals were being considered for inclusion.

"When someone is convicted of a sexual offence in court, a secondary process must be completed to add them to the register. This involves obtaining an order for inclusion." The 10 325 cases pending are those awaiting finalisation of this order, "after which they will be added to the register".

Manase said Kubayi had initiated a multistakeholder consultative process, including engagements with the Office of the Information Regulator to ensure the protection of vulnerable persons was achieved within the bounds of data privacy laws.