Parliament Briefed on Judicial Matters Amendment Bill Amendments

Posted 06 August 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category Legislation & Regulatory News

Brought to you by SAnews: The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has formally briefed Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development regarding the Judicial Matters Amendment Bill.

The Judicial Matters Amendment Bill introduces targeted amendments across several statutes to resolve practical implementation challenges, align national legislation with recent Constitutional Court jurisprudence, and refine existing regulatory oversight mechanisms.

Key Statutory Amendments Proposed

  • Legal Practice Act, No. 28 of 2014: Proposes an automatic right of appearance for legal practitioners across all courts, rationalises practical vocational training (PVT) provisions, expands opportunities for legal practice within public institutions, and refines operational structures for Legal Aid South Africa.
  • Promotion of Access to Information Act, No. 2 of 2000 (PAIA): Amends access provisions to give effect to the Constitutional Court decision in Arena Holdings v SARS regarding the disclosure of tax records in the public interest.
  • Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, No. 12 of 2004 (PRECCA): Closes technical gaps regarding penalty provisions applicable to the offence of failing to prevent corruption within private entities and state-owned enterprises, in line with State Capture Commission recommendations.
  • Judicial Service Commission Act, No. 9 of 1979: Expands the capacity of the Judicial Conduct Committee by authorizing the appointment of additional judges to handle complaints and clear backlogs.
  • Cybercrimes Act, No. 19 of 2020: Clarifies specific investigative powers and updates legal procedural rules governing electronic evidence and cybercrime investigations.
  • Child Justice Framework: Re-aligns procedures for minors accused of cannabis-related offences to ensure matters are processed through child-centred diversion frameworks rather than criminal arrest.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: Legal practitioners must review the proposed reforms to court appearance rights and practical vocational training (PVT) standards under the Legal Practice Act, No. 28 of 2014.
  • For your business: Private entities and state-owned companies must assess internal governance and anti-bribery policies to mitigate statutory risk related to the failure to prevent corruption under PRECCA.
  • For your clients: Litigants and media clients seeking access to tax records under PAIA will operate under revised public-interest disclosure thresholds aligned with Constitutional Court precedent.

Originally published at https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/amendment-bill-strengthen-administration-justice

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