PROSTITUTION cannot be criminalised, but a landmark judgment in a South African court to take the profession one step closer to legalisation is unfortunate, the country’s churches said on Friday. Two South African High Court judges upheld an appeal by a self-confessed prostitute Thursday, a landmark ruling which will legalise prostitution if confirmed by the Constitutional Court. “We have to accept than in a democracy there are people with different value systems. We cannot criminalise them for it. The legalisation of prostitution was an unfortunate cost of the country enjoying democracy,” South African Council of Churches secretary-general Molefa Tsele told the Johannesburg-based daily Business Day. South African Human Rights Commissioner Jody Kollapen said prostitution is a reality in a traditionally conservative country. In another front-page article Johannesburg-based Afrikaans daily Beeld said “Prostitution gets green light,” saying the judgment was in line with South Africa’s Bill of Human Rights, which protects the right to privacy. – AFP