“In a society like ours, trust cannot depend upon believing that those who exercise power will look like us, worship like us, speak our language or share our politics.”

Submission to Standing Committee on Finance on the General Laws (Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorism Financing) Amendment Bill [B15–2026]

The Campaign for Free Expression (“CFE”) and the Campaign on Digital Ethics (“CODE”) welcome the publication of the proposed Electoral Code of Conduct on Countering Disinformation in the Local Government Elections (“the Code”) in terms of section 88 of the Local Government: Municipal Electoral Act 27 of 2000 (“the Municipal Electoral Act”), as published under Government Notice 3995 in Government Gazette No. 54925 of 30 June 2026.

Here is a full judgment by the Praktiseer Magistrate Court on the Thomo Nkgadima’s Protection Order case.

Judgment on setting aside and/or variatio of a final protection order in terms of the Protection from Harassment Act.

Summary of the Caroline Peters’ Case (Criminal Procedure Act)

The case

Brought by the Women’s Legal Centre and Caroline Peters before the Western Cape High Court, this case challenges specific provisions of the Criminal Procedure Act that trigger an automatic media and public blackout the moment someone is formally charged with a sexual offence or extortion. The contested sections of the Criminal Procedure Act are 335A and 154(2)(b) of the Criminal Procedure Act, which prohibit the media and public from publishing any information that might identify the accused or the complainant in sexual offences and extortion cases from the time an alleged offence is reported, the person is charged, or formally pleaded in court.

We thank the Department for the opportunity to make a submission on the protection of whistleblowers in South Africa.

We attach our written submission in response to the invitation for comments on the proposed Protected Disclosures Bill, 2026.

We would like to confirm our interest in making oral representations at a later convenient date.