Court to decide on trimming legal teams in sex work decriminalisation case

CAPE TOWN - The Western Cape High Court will on Tuesday decide whether or not to whittle down the number of legal teams in a case related to the decriminalisation of sex work.

Sixteen non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have made applications to argue in the case that challenges the criminalisation of sex work as unconstitutional.

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The Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Taskteam (SWEAT) on Monday asked the court to minimise the number of legal teams arguing in the case.

Lawyer for SWEAT Isabel Goodman asked the presiding judge, Andre Le Grange, to exclude applicants with submissions that do not take the case further.

The 16 NGOs have applied to join the case as "friends of the court"to argue in favour of the decriminalisation of sex work.

Goodman argued that some of the legal teams have overlapping submissions, which will delay proceedings and cost the court more resources.

"My lord, we would submit that the court should, if it can, whittle down the number of amici [friends] before the court. Where it is clear that an amici does not bring new submissions, it should, with respect, exclude them."

Judge Le Grange is set to make his ruling later Tuesday morning.