Draft legislation to further streamline abortion laws has been tabled in Parliament.
According to a memorandum attached to the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Amendment Bill, the measure seeks, among other things, to allow registered nurses who have undergone the prescribed training to perform abortions.
It also proposes to empower provincial ministers of health to approve facilities where abortions may take place, instead of the national health minister.
Further, all public and private health facilities with a 24-hour maternity service will be able to end pregnancies of up to 12 weeks without permission of the provincial minister of health.
The Bill requires the provinvial ministers to report to the national minister every year on the number of facilities approved.
It also makes it an offence for any person to end a pregnancy unlawfully, or allow it to be done at a facility that is not approved.