South Africa

For more than a decade, South Africans have been advocating a reform of the country's laws on sexual offences. South Africa has one of the highest levels of reported rape in the world, and legislative reform was seen as an essential step towards shifting the understanding of rape and its treatment within the criminal justice system. Since 1996 the activism has focused on the South African Law Reform Commission's investigation into sexual offences, and the parliamentary process, which culminated at the end of 2007 in the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act.

The Minister of Education Naledi Pandor and 23 public higher education institutions have adopted a policy which will guide schools and tertiary institutions to improve their current HIV and AIDS prevention programmes.

Young people in South Africa face the highest rate of HIV infection.

The Policy Framework on HIV and AIDS for Higher Education Institution in South Africa, adopted at an event in Johannesburg on Thursday, recognises that institutions must act to prevent new HIV infections and provide access to treatment, care and support for staff and students infected or affected by the pandemic.

Adopting the policy, Minister Pandor said South Africa was a country with one of the highest HIV and AIDS rates, and therefore there was a need to support those infected and affected by the disease.

Young people in higher education institutions are facing peer pressure, alcohol and drug abuse, said the minister, adding that she was hoping to see chancellors taking a leading role in the implementation of the framework.

"We can do no less if we were to save young people to this serious threat, I'm looking forward to the concrete plans to the framework which will see the reduction of the epidemic," she said.

In September 2006 a new clause was inserted into the Sexual Offences Act making it an offence to "unlawfully and intentionally engage the sexual services of a person 18 years or older for financial or other reward, favour or compensation." According to the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development the intended aim of this clause is to protect sex workers from exploitation and abuse and to prevent trafficking in persons by eradicating sex work.

The move by the SABC to go to digital signals by 2011 has caused some confusion in the marketplace, with many consumers who believe it will be HD broadcasting and they will need to buy HD-capable televisions in future.

"The SABC's digital move makes no difference to the picture quality," said Brad Buchanan, group buyer at Game. "Broadcasters benefit because digital signals make better use of their bandwidth, enabling more channels to be viewed."

Certain sections of the long-awaited Sexual Offences Act finally came into operation on Sunday.

According to a statement released by Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, Clause 72 of the Act provides for the implementation of Chapters 1 to 4 and 7 came into operation on Sunday.

These relate mainly to the creation of statutory sexual offences and certain transitional arrangements and evidentiary matters.

Certain sections of the long-awaited Sexual Offences Act finally came into operation this week. They deal mainly with statutory sexual offences relating to assault, exploitation, trafficking and child pornography.

Certain sections of the long-awaited Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, No. 32 of 2007, came into effect on the 16th of December 2007 after being signed into law by President Thabo Mbeki. Section 72 of the Act provides for the implementation of Chapters 1 to 4 and 7, which mainly deal with the creation of statutory sexual offences, special protection measures for children and persons who are mentally disabled, certain transitional arrangements and evidencerelated matters. The Act will help intensify South Africa's efforts to fight sexual crimes against all persons and, especially, sexual offences being committed against vulnerable groups, including women, children and people who are mentally disabled.

If the involvement of children in crime is under discussion, one can distinguish between crimes by children and crimes  against children. Crimes committed by children (delinquents) are investigated by the relevant unit, for example the Vehicle Theft Unit, Detective Branch, etc. 

The need to establish a unit within the South African Police Service to prevent and combat crimes against children, was identified during 1986. The primary task of the Child Protection Unit is to render a sensitive service endearing to the child victim.

The movie The Kite Runner may inspire many South Africans to dust off their childhood kites and let them loose over the rooftops of their neighbourhoods. Frivolous fun, reminiscent of carefree days and not hurting anyone? Well, not if you are a Johannesburg resident.

Child rights advocacy groups will be lobbying for a change in certain aspects of the new Sexual Offences Act, through either case law or amendments.

But they point out that for the change to take place through amendments, there would have to be political will.

The Act, which was passed on December 13, makes changes to the definition of what constitutes rape and includes a sexual offender register, but child rights groups say the Act has done little to increase protective measures available in the court system.