ICC withdrawal Bill loses its champion

While Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha is one of several Cabinet members absent from the list of political party representatives elected to serve in the National Assembly under SA’s sixth democratic Parliament (EWN), Justice and Constitutional Development Deputy Minister John Jeffery will be returning. However, whether he will continue to guide the 2018 Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill’s passage through Parliament remains to be seen. Championed by Masutha, the 2017 International Crimes Bill’s future will be determined by the outcome of ongoing discussions on SA’s possible withdrawal from the International Criminal Court.