24/11/2025
From the Government Gazette and Media Statements
24 November 2025
S*X WORK
Justice and Constitutional Development Deputy Minister Andries Nel confirmed that the process of developing an appropriate legal framework for the s*x work industry is ongoing. In a speech delivered during a workshop on the ‘Decriminalisation and Regulation of S*x Work Bill’, the Deputy Minister emphasised the importance of ‘policy direction and regulation … that prioritises safety, dignity, and the rights of all persons in the s*x work industry, while protecting the well-being of society as a whole’. This was noting:
concerns about the constitutionality of a Criminal Law (S*xual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Bill apparently finalised in 2023, and the need for legislation incorporating ‘a regulatory framework to ensure compliance’.
Released in draft form in December 2022 for public comment, among other things the Bill sought to repeal:
the 1957 S*xual Offences Act, and
section 11 of the 2007 Criminal Law (S*xual Offences & Related Matters) Amendment Act (engaging the s*xual services of persons 18 years or older).
According to the Deputy Minister, the legal framework now envisaged is expected to:
-ensure ‘safe and healthy working conditions’
-reflect ‘constitutional values’
-reflect ‘the responsibilities of the various departments that will play a role in implementation’
-reduce the ‘stigma’ associated with s*x work
-prevent and combat human trafficking
-empower s*x workers to advocate for their rights’, and
balance these objectives with ‘the interests of broader society’.
LIQUOR PRODUCTS
The Department of Agriculture gazetted notices calling for public comments on two sets of proposed amendments to regulations under the 1989 Liquor Products Act:
notice on draft amendments to regulations on the ‘wine of origin scheme’ (with implications for wine from a prescribed list of muscato/muscat cultivars), and notice on draft amendments to regulations affecting a range of alcoholic beverages and related production processes including:
-various types of wine
-fruit beverages
-various types of fermented beverages
-spirit-based liquor
-various types of mead, and
-flavoured beer.
PLANT IMPROVEMENT
The 2018 Plant Improvement Act will come into effect on 1 December 2025, according to a presidential proclamation published in the Government Gazette. Repealing the 1976 Act in its entirety, the new piece of legislation is expected to:
-facilitate sustainable crop production in South Africa by regulating the quality of plants and seeds
-contribute to food security by prescribing standards to be met by the different types of business involved in selling plants and seeds, and support new entrants and smallholder farmers as they transition to mainstream agriculture.
Prepared by Pam Saxby
