Push to make sex pest register work and public

More than a year after the government pledged to enhance the accessibility of the National Register for Sex Offenders (NRSO), the public remains unable to view the register. A fresh initiative has emerged, advocating for increased transparency regarding those listed on the NRSO. Portfolio Committee on Police chairman Ian Cameron spearheaded a 30-day campaign, aiming to publish daily the name, photograph, verified conviction, and sentence of a convicted sexual offender, utilizing data from public court records.

Cameron emphasized that this campaign does not replicate the confidential NRSO but aims to highlight the gap between the information available through courts and the limited public access to the register. The campaign strictly focuses on convictions verifiable through public court records and seeks to push the government towards addressing the lack of public access to information about convicted sexual offenders.

The NRSO is designed to record individuals convicted of sexual offenses against children and other vulnerable individuals. While employers working with vulnerable groups can conduct mandated checks, the register is generally not accessible to the public. The Justice Department has been contemplating this issue for over a year. In September 2025, Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi informed Parliament that the Office of the Chief State Law Adviser determined that the NRSO could not be made public under the existing law due to section 52 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, which prohibits such publication, except for specific purposes outlined in the Act or by a competent court.

Kubayi stated that a general law would be necessary, and she has instructed the department to draft the required legislative amendments. However, Johannesburg mayoral candidate Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster, the Deputy Leader of Build One SA, has questioned the status of these amendments after the government indicated they had been prepared and circulated for comment.

She expressed the public's legitimate interest in determining whether the system intended to protect children and vulnerable individuals is functioning effectively. Hlazo-Webster also inquired about the lack of a clear public timeline for the finalization and implementation of the amendments, noting that the NRSO reportedly contains approximately 32,000 names, yet South Africans have no reliable means of knowing if someone with a known risk is listed.

She advocated for a consistent standard for everyone, asserting that political connections, influence, or power should not influence the treatment of individuals convicted of sexual offenses. The Kwanele Foundation supports greater public access, asserting that it would aid in safeguarding not only women and children but also men and boys by enabling individuals to know those convicted of sexual offenses.

Founding member Sihle Sibisi emphasized the need for safeguards, particularly to ensure that victims' names are not published and that information is limited to offenders convicted in court. Sibisi called for expedited legislative progress, especially as gender-based violence continues to be a national crisis. Cameron reiterated that public access should not involve publishing addresses, identity numbers, or details of victims.