The Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) welcomes the outcomes of the 1 April 2026 consultation with the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. The Deputy Minister, Andries Nel, confirmed that, following consultations across government, there is broad agreement that no extensive new regulatory framework is required for the decriminalisation of sex work. Existing […]
The Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) welcomes the start of the amicus curiae hearings on 1–2 September in Cape Town, an important milestone in our ongoing constitutional challenge to South Africa’s criminalisation of sex work. This litigation, initiated in 2021 by a brave sex worker (S.H) and SWEAT, challenges the constitutionality of the
The Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) celebrates a historic step forward for sex workers in South Africa. The National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) has issued a moratorium on the prosecution of sex workers until the conclusion of the ongoing strategic litigation case which challenges the criminalisation of sex work. This decision —
In 2022, the government promised to change the laws that criminalise sex work by introducing a Decriminalisation Bill. But progress has been slow. The Bill hasn’t moved forward, and in the meantime, sex workers continue to face arrests, fines, violence, and stigma — just for doing their work. After years of delays and no clear
Please help us make sure that marginalised people are getting the HIV services they need Five NGOs serving Key Pops in Cape Town have formed a Collective to advocate on behalf of Key Populations. We have initiated a rapid research project to capture the experiences of Key Populations, but we don’t have any funding to
Womxn: Working a powerful documentary about sex workers in South Africa, and their fearless and decades-long push for decriminalisation and justice, will have its World Premiere at the Encounters South African International Documentary Festival in Cape Town (21 and 26 June) and Johannesburg (26 June). Directed by Shanelle Jewnarain and produced by Tiny Mungwe and Mithcell
South Africa – 2 June 2025: On International Sex Workers’ Day, sex workers and activists across all nine provinces will take symbolic action at Department of Justice (DOJ) provincial offices to demand accountability and urgency in reviving the long-delayed Decriminalisation Bill. This action, led by the Asijiki Coalition for the Decriminalisation of Sex Work, comes
On Monday, 13 January 2025 of nine women in Durban were arrested for alleged “loitering with the intent of prostitution” and their photographs were subsequently posted on the Durban Metro Police Service Facebook page and shared, at last check, 437 times. They were arrested at approximately 11h00 in the morning; taken to two police stations
The recent Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) Forum, sponsored by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), provided a powerful space for SWEAT (Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce) to advocate for sex workers’ rights and share insights into the critical issues surrounding criminalisation and sexual violence. Although SWEAT representatives attended and engaged in important sessions
The Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) has launched a landmark legal challenge to decriminalise sex work in South Africa. The proceedings were officially launched on 3 May 2024 in the High Court (Western Cape Division, Cape Town). SWEAT is supporting the first applicant, SH, who is a sex worker based in Cape Town.
