South African Christian News: Telling the God Stories of Africa
By Philip Rosenthal — ChristianView Network On Tuesday morning the ruling party voted for each of the seven worst possible options for the Hate Speech and Hate Crimes Bill- which threatens to shut down controversial free speech like mainland China did to Hong Kong. At the previous meeting, the Department […]
Update on the Hate Speech Bill by Philip Rosenthal of ChristianView Network Yesterday, the Department of Justice updated Parliament on their responses to submissions for the Hate Speech Bill. They are proposing up to five years jail sentence for what they call “hate speech”. Currently, the former leader of the […]
Public submissions not duly considered on Hate Speech Bill ChristianView Network welcomes the postponement of discussions on the dangerously worded Hate Speech bill, which could put innocent people in jail for controversial statements, after it was found that key submissions had not been considered. It is rare for the ACDP, […]
Christian legal watchdogs have issued a warning that the revised Hate Speech Bill which will be considered by a parliamentary committee tomorrow poses a serious threat to religious freedom. Michael Swain of Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA) and Philip Rosenthal of ChristianView Network both warn that the Department […]
Parliament has re-opened the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill for public comment until Friday October 1. The decision to reopen the bill follows on from the Constitutional Court’s recent decision and definition of hate speech (in the Qwelane matter). The bill – for the first time in SA’s history – criminalises certain […]
The call for comments on the revised draft of the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill has been extended to February 15, reports Freedom of Religion (FOR SA). Commenting on the Bill, FOR SA says clause 4(1) makes “hate speech” a crime– with potentially dire repercussions from […]
On Tuesday August 28 the latest version of the controversial Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill was published for public comment (https://pmg.org.za/call-for-comment/727/), reports Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA). The original draft of the Bill received over 70 000 submissions, with many labelling it “draconian” (https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2018-03-13-draconian-hate-crimes-bill-will-destroy-freedom-of-speech/) and a “threat […]
At Parliament on May 30 2018, Freedom of Religion South Africa (FOR SA) attended a briefing by the Department of Justice (DoJ) to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice regarding the proposed Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill (“the Bill”). This briefing followed certain amendments made […]
Pastor gets prison sentence for offensive remarks towards gays On Friday, 18 May 2018 Pastor Oscar Bougardt – who found himself in trouble with the law again after making certain “highly insulting, demeaning and uncharitable” statements regarding the LGBT community – was convicted of contempt of court and sentenced to […]