By Noko Mashilo
Sisonke National Movement, the national collective advocacy voice representing sex workers in South Africa, together with its allies and partners, is organising and bringing people together to take action towards a common goal of protesting the delay in the processing of the law to decriminalise sex work.
Sisonke will be leading a march on Thursday, 9 October 2025 to Tshwane, Gauteng in order to deliver a memorandum to the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development to process the bill on decriminalization of sex work in Parliament that has been mothballed.
This action underscores the sector’s ongoing call for the decriminalisation of sex work and its demand for accountability, transparency, and meaningful engagement from the department. The mobilisation seeks to reinforce a collaborative partnership with government while confronting long-standing unfulfilled commitments to advance the rights, safety, and fair representation of sex workers across the country.
Katlego Rasebitse, chairperson of National Sex Workers Sector told Vula Vala that the strategic importance of this mobilisation lies in addressing the continued stalling of the sexual offences and related matters amendment bill.
“Sisonke and its partners are increasingly concerned about the lack of urgency and prioritisation of this critical reform, which has remained unresolved for more than two decades despite repeated commitments from the department. This moment represents an opportunity to reaffirm accountability and demand decisive action toward the long-overdue decriminalisation of sex work in South Africa,” said Rasebitse.
Rasebitse shared key issues raised. “While we acknowledge the consultation process involving five representatives from the Sex Work Sector, no formal feedback or report on the outcomes of that engagement has been shared. The movement therefore calls on the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development to provide a comprehensive update on the findings, recommendations, and next steps emerging from this consultation process,” he said.
He further requests a clear, time-bound roadmap detailing the next stages in finalising and advancing the revised Bill on the Decriminalisation of Sex Work. “This includes submission to Cabinet and Parliamentary consideration, with the aim of ensuring transparency, accountability, and measurable progress,” he said.
In far as labour rights and social justice is concerned, Rasebitse said the legislative process must uphold the full decriminalisation of sex work, centring on labour rights, workplace protections, and social justice. “We are emphasising that the lived realities and priorities of sex workers must inform every stage of policy reform and that the process should avoid introducing punitive or restrictive measures disguised as regulation,” said Rasebitse
According to Yonela Sinqu, Communication Officer for Sisonke National Movement, the solidarity shown by organisations and individuals across the country has been deeply encouraging.
“The support we are receiving is truly heart-warming for everyone within the Movement. It affirms that sex workers are not standing alone in the struggle for equality, justice, and recognition,” Sinqu said.
She also said their fight for decriminalisation is, in fact, a shared fight for human rights, equity, gender justice, and democracy. “When allies, partners, and communities stand with us, it reinforces that sex workers’ lives matter and that the call for dignity and safety is a national concern, not a niche issue,” she said.
When asked about the daily realities sex workers face in South Africa, socially, legally, and economically, Sinqu, painted a stark picture of systemic neglect and injustice.
“Sex workers, particularly those who are street-based or working in lower-end brothels, face daily harassment, police violence, extortion, and arrest, simply for trying to earn a living,” Sinqu explained.
She also said the trade is riddled with stigma and discrimination, rooted in deeply moralistic and judgmental attitudes. “Their work is criminalised, many sex workers feel unsafe to report crimes or seek justice, as they are often dehumanised and dismissed in the process,” she said.
She added that the economic conditions under which sex workers operate are precarious, with no labour protections, social benefits, or recognition of their contribution to the informal economy.
“Socially, the stigma extends far beyond the workplace, it affects families, access to housing, healthcare, and alternative job opportunities. Instead of protecting our rights, the current system criminalises our survival,” she continued.
Sinqu said the mobilisation seeks to challenge the misconceptions that continue to stigmatise sex work and those involved in it. “As Sisonke National Movement, together with our partners and allies, we are determined to challenge the idea that sex work is a crime or a moral failure. Sex work is work, a form of labour that deserves protection like any other,” Sinqu said.
She added that the movement also rejects the perception that all sex workers are victims in need of rescue. “Many are strong, independent individuals providing for themselves and their families. Our mobilisation calls on society to see sex workers as human beings deserving of rights, not judgment or pity,” she said.
Sinqu further clarified that decriminalisation does not promote human trafficking or child exploitation. “In fact, it helps prevent abuse by bringing the industry into the open, strengthening oversight, and enabling authorities to focus on real crimes such as coercion and violence, rather than targeting consenting adults,” she said.
She concluded by stressing that sex work is not a sign of moral decay, but rather an expression of personal agency, economic participation, and bodily autonomy.
“Decriminalising sex work is a progressive step toward equality and justice. The current criminalisation stems from apartheid-era laws that sought to control and segregate people based on race and class. To correct this injustice, South Africa must dismantle those outdated laws and replace them with rights-based policies that uphold dignity, freedom, and equality for all.”
