Sex offender register still not public despite 15 000 signatures calling for its release and missed deadline
· Citizen
Action Society aren’t happy with the silence from the department of justice over the critical Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application regarding South Africa’s National Register for Sex Offenders (NRSO).
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The civil rights group submitted the PAIA application on 9 April 2026 and was told a response could be expected on 20 June. Instead, all they reportedly got was silence.
Fighting to make the sex offenders list public
The organisation demanded detailed records on the register’s daily operations, its total listings, and government’s long-delayed plans to make the system public.
Despite granting itself an additional 30-day extension, the department has remained entirely silent for over two months, said the organisation.
The Citizen has also reached out to the department for response. Any response will be included, once received.
The stalling directly clashes with an escalating wave of public outrage.
Action Society’s campaigns have now garnered more than 15 000 signatures and submissions from South Africans demanding stronger protection for children. Specifically, the initiative includes 11 000 petition signatures and 4015 submissions through the “Dear Minister” campaign.
Juanita du Preez, National Spokesperson for Action Society, strongly condemned the Department’s total lack of transparency.
“Parents cannot access the register. Government refuses to publish the register. Government now refuses to answer basic questions about the register. The secrecy continues,” said du Preez.
“South Africans are being asked to trust a system they are not allowed to see, question or verify. That is simply not good enough when the safety of children is at stake.”
Action Society’s application sought specific accountability records, including internal audits, the total number of sexual offence convictions over the past decade, and any existing discrepancies between actual convictions and register entries.
No excuse
The Department’s failure to deliver these records raises serious questions about whether the state captures convicted sex offenders effectively or leaves dangerous gaps in the system.
Du Preez believes the government has no excuse to hide the data if the child-protection system functions properly.
“If government is confident that the register is accurate, complete, and serving its intended purpose, there should be no reason to withhold this information from the public,” said du Preez.
“The department’s failure to respond does not make these questions disappear. If anything, it makes them more urgent.”