[1] The Bill was introduced in 2016 and sat before the South African National Assembly until it was passed in 2023 and signed into law in 2024.
[13] As South Africa continues to deal with the issues consequent of the Apartheid legacy, other proposed solutions have been to pass legislation, such as the Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill, to uphold South Africa's Constitutional ban on racism and commitment to equality.
[15] South African Committee Chairperson Mathole Motshekga stated that the bill is intended to address increasing intolerance and to allow assistance to the victims of the crimes.
[7] Deputy Minister of Justice John Jeffery noted that South Africa is not unique in its consideration of a Hate Speech bill and that in South Africa, there is no "absolute right" to freedom of expression in place, although a balance between censorship and speech is needed.
[4] The Helen Suzman Foundation, a South African think-tank dedicated to promoting "liberal constitutional democracy," submitted a response outlining a list of reasons why the group fundamentally opposed the bill.