The South African government has approved legislation that will clear the records of anyone convicted of breaking the COVID-19 lockdown.
More than 340,000 people in South Africa were sentenced to prison for violating the country’s stringent laws by, for example, failing to wear face masks, drinking alcohol, or staying out past their bedtime.
Those who have confessed and paid their penalties will have their names expunged.
South Africans have largely supported this measure.
If it receives President Cyril Ramaphosa’s signature and passes the National Council of Provinces, there is little doubt that it will become law.
During parliamentary discussion, the Judicial Matters Amendment Bill had widespread support from major parties.
The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), an opposition group that voted in favor of the measure, brought attention to the fact that having a criminal record might make it difficult for some people to obtain gainful employment.
ACDP lawmaker Steven Swart prayed, “May we never again have such irrational regulations that were passed without parliamentary intervention or oversight.”
Nonetheless, the bill did not receive the support of all members of parliament.
The liberal group Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) applauded many provisions but said it couldn’t back the law as written.
During the epidemic, Veronica Mente, a member of the EFF Parliament, claimed that the trials and persecutions that resulted from the rules arising from the Disaster Management Act showed the extent to which our judicial system may be utilized to severely limit the rights of citizens.
