Nadia Khan|Published
A CAMPAIGN to publicly expose convicted sexual offenders has reignited a debate over whether South Africans should have access to the National Register of Sex Offenders (NRSO).
This comes after Ian Cameron, Parliament’s Police Committee chairperson and the DA’s deputy spokesperson on police, launched a 30-day campaign to publish the names, photographs, verified convictions and sentences of adult sexual offenders whose cases are already part of the public court record.
He said the campaign followed him sharing the stories of women and children, including families he worked with personally over the years, whose lives were devastated by violence.
“Some cases ended in convictions. Others remain before the courts or unresolved. Not all involved sexual offences, but collectively they raise a basic question: Why do South Africans so often discover who dangerous offenders are only after somebody has already been harmed?
“I therefore launched a 30-day public campaign focused specifically on convicted sexual offenders. Each day I intend to publish at least one photograph, name, verified conviction and sentence of an adult sexual offender whose conviction is already legitimately part of the public court record,” said Cameron.
He added it was, however, not an “unofficial copy” of the NRSO.
“It is a campaign based on public court records and verified convictions. South Africa already maintains the NRSO. Its purpose includes preventing convicted sexual offenders from obtaining access to vulnerable people, and employers working with vulnerable persons can conduct prescribed checks. The register itself, however, remains confidential and is not generally open to the public.
“In addition, the government has already accepted that this needs attention. Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi directed that legislative amendments be prepared to permit broader lawful access. As recently as September 29, the Department of Justice confirmed that work on legislative amendments to ensure greater public access was continuing. The question is now one of delivery.
“The campaign will therefore focus on both the offenders our courts have convicted and the systems that should prevent the next victim. For too long South Africans have learnt the names of women and children after it was too late to protect them. It is time we also know the names of the people our courts have convicted of committing these crimes,” he said.
Reaction
- Dr Shaeeda Omar, director of the Teddy Bear Foundation, said she supported making verified information about convicted sexual offenders more accessible, particularly where it could prevent further harm to children.
“However, this must be done carefully, using confirmed convictions - not allegations - and must not become public vigilantism, harassment or punishment beyond the sentence imposed by the court.”
Omar said she would not support unrestricted public access to the entire NRSO.
“There is a difference between transparency and indiscriminate disclosure. I would support a controlled, properly regulated system allowing parents, schools, childcare providers and organisations working with children to conduct verified checks, particularly before employing or placing someone in a position of trust.”
She added that the government needed to go beyond the NRSO and strengthen the entire child-protection system, adding that ultimately a register should be a protection tool, not a punishment tool.
- Adeshini Naicker, director of Childline KwaZulu-Natal, said parents had a right to know who may pose a risk to their children, and information about convicted sexual offenders should not be unnecessarily difficult to access.
“However, it must be handled responsibly to avoid false accusations and vigilantism,” said Naicker.
She said the government also needed to ensure that the NRSO was properly maintained, that people working with children must be thoroughly vetted, and convicted offenders should be monitored where necessary.
- Celeste Louw, general operations manager at the Tears Foundation, said making offenders’ names and photographs public was not, in itself, an effective child protection strategy.
“The foundation understands why people support the campaign. Parents and communities want to know whether people convicted of sexual offences live or work around children.
“However, South Africa already has the NRSO, intended to prevent people convicted of sexual offences against children and other vulnerable people from being placed in positions of trust. The immediate question is why existing safeguards are not being consistently implemented,” she said.
She said before creating another layer of public disclosure, the government must ensure that existing vetting requirements are understood, implemented and enforced.
- Jo Moodley, the social work and general manager of Tongaat Child and Family Welfare Society, said: “As someone who has worked in child protection for 20 years, I understand the frustration that has led to this campaign. Currently, there is a gap - information is technically public through the courts, but practically inaccessible to a parent, a principal, or an ECD centre owner trying to protect children.
“However, how it is done matters. As social workers, our concern is always that any publication of names and photographs must be legally verified, come directly from court records, and include safeguards to prevent misidentification, harassment of families of offenders, and vigilantism. The intention to protect children is right; however, the implementation must be responsible and within the law.”
- Aroona Chetty, the director of Phoenix Child Welfare, said the organisation supported making information more accessible as it could help communities take precautions to protect children.
“People will be aware if there are offenders in their areas and will take proper measures to ensure the safety of their children. The public will also trust the system in knowing that something is being done about the offenders.
“Furthermore, society supports stronger and harsher measures for perpetrators, especially looking at the rate of gender-based violence in our country.”
She said harsher penalties and public access to the register could contribute to fewer crimes of this nature, as offenders would be afraid to be known in the community and their lives being in danger.