The controversial clause in the Children’s Amendment Bill, which allowed for parents to be fined R300 for spanking their children, has been removed.
This week the parliamentary portfolio committee on social development agreed to remove Section 139 from the Bill after the ANC caucus moved to block the Bill being approved last week.
It has been reported that the caucus felt the clause was not in tune with public opinion on the matter.
Section 139, which has been dubbed the ‘spanking clauseâ€, caused outrage in civil society with critics claiming the state was interfering in the way parents raise their children.
Critics also claimed the clause would be a huge headache for the National Prosecuting Authority and justice system.
The committee faced pressure from the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children, who have spent the past few weeks campaigning to get South Africa to become the 20th nation worldwide to ban beating of children.
The Bill, which has already been approved by the National Council of Provinces, was set to go before the National Assembly on Thursday this week, but it was postponed.
DA spokesperson on social development, Janet Semple, told the Mail & Guardian this week that the postponement was because the revised Bill was not printed in time. She said the Bill should go before the National Assembly in the next two weeks.
‘It’s about time,†said Semple. ‘This Bill has taken too long and needs to be passed for the beneÂfit of our children.â€