National Assembly passes bill to criminalise hate crimes, speech

JOHANNESBURG - The National Assembly has passed a bill criminalising hate crimes and hate speech, five years after it was introduced.

There's been mixed reaction to the bill, with some opposition parties arguing it could limit freedom of speech but the Justice Ministry argues otherwise.

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"So currently hate crimes are not prosecuted because it's difficult to show specific intent that a crime was committed because someone is homophobic or because someone is racist. There isn't that legal framework and that is what it corrects," said Justice Ministry spokesperson Chrispin Phiri.

"So under this new law if someone commits a crime and they are able to show that crime specifically motivated by hatred for a particular race or group or religion or any of the limited groups that you're not allowed to discriminate against, then one may be prosecuted for a hate crime."

The National Assembly has passed a bill criminalising hate crimes and hate speech, five years after it was introduced. #eNCA #DStv403 pic.twitter.com/9WIfPEDXVJ

— eNCA (@eNCA) March 16, 2023