Ramaphosa signs historic hate crimes and hate speech bill into law

Thabo Shole-Mashoa, standing in for John Perlman, interviews John Botha, CEO of Global Business Solutions.

Listen below.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has made history by officially enacting the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill into law.

This legislation defines hate speech as the deliberate promotion of hatred or encouragement of harm towards an individual or group based on specific prohibited categories, which include race, gender, sex and intersex, ethnic or social origin, color, sexual orientation, religion, disability, albinism, and HIV status.

Crucially, the new law extends its reach to encompass hate speech conveyed through various mediums, including verbal communication, written text, and importantly, digital platforms such as social media posts, instant messages, and emails.

In the context of the workplace, Botha highlights that while discrimination has historically warranted disciplinary action, the introduction of this new bill means that such actions could now escalate to criminal charges.

He emphasises the importance of employers reviewing and updating their policies related to unfair discrimination and harassment.

"Any form of intolerance that has the impact of undermining the human dignity would fall fairly and squarely in the context of a criminal offense."

- John Botha, CEO – Global Business Solutions

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.