South Africa’s post apartheid government has been toying with the idea of decriminalising sex work for almost two decades. But it has hesitated to act with the necessary courage to regulate the industry in a progressive way.
The reluctance to take bold action to decriminalise the sector has detrimental effects for sex workers. Decriminalisation would give sex workers access to labour rights and help prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Most importantly, it would give sex workers more protection from violence. The recent discovery of the bodies of six women, believed to be those of murdered sex workers, in Johannesburg once again highlighted the dangers they face.
