Plans to impose harsher punishment for hate crimes - Masutha
Johannesburg - A bill that will impose harsher punishment on hate crimes is under way and may be approved this financial year, Justice Minister Michael Masutha told journalists on Saturday.
"The development of a bill to deal with hate crime is also underway to ensure that we have the necessary legal instruments to deal with this challenge", Masutha said. The bill also seeks to criminalise any conduct that amounts to an attempt, incitement, instigation and conspiracy among other.
Action plan
"In its current form, the bill proposes that hate crime should be understood as an offence committed solely on or of the fact or perceived fact of the victim's race, gender, nationality, ethnic or social origin, age, disability and religion.
"The department of justice has spearheaded development of a draft national action plan to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance..."