South Africa

Status

South  Africa  signed the OPCAT on the 20th of September 2006. On the  28th  February  2019,  the cabinet  referred  the  OPCAT  to  Parliament  for ratification. Both the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces  approved  ratification  on the  28th of  March  2019. South  Africa  then deposited  the instrument of ratification with the United Nations on the 20th of June 2019. The OPCAT came into effect in South Africa on the 20th of July 2019.

The government of  South  Africa initially designated  a  multiple  body  NPM  to  be  coordinated and functionally led by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). Under the coordination of the SAHRC, the South African NPM was intended to eventually include other institutions such as the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS), Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), Military Ombud and the Health Ombud, following legislative reforms to ensure that they meet the requirements of OPCAT, particularly in terms of independence.

Following a number of roadblocks, the government decided in late 2024 to designate the South African Human Rights Commission as sole NPM.