CAT/C/ZAF/CO/2
United Nations
Convention against Torture
and Other Cruel, Inhuman
or Degrading Treatment
or Punishment
Distr.: General
7 June 2019
Original: English
Committee against Torture
Concluding observations on the second periodic report of
South Africa*
1.
The Committee against Torture considered the second periodic report of South
Africa (CAT/C/ZAF/2) at its 1730th and 1733rd meetings, held on 30 April and 1 May
2019 (see CAT/C/SR.1730 and 1733), and adopted the following concluding observations
at its 1750th meeting held on 14 May 2019.
A.
Introduction
2.
The Committee regrets that the submission of the State party’s second periodic
report was eight years late and that the Committee did not receive any follow-up reply to its
previous concluding observations (CAT/C/ZAF/CO/1). It welcomes, however, the receipt
of the State party’s second periodic report, in 2017, and the replies
(CAT/C/ZAF/Q/2/Add.2), in April 2019, to the list of issues (CAT/C/ZAF/Q/2/Add.1) sent
by the Committee in January 2019. The Committee welcomes the dialogue conducted with
the State party’s delegation and the oral and written replies provided to the concerns raised
by the Committee. It also welcomes the State party’s acceptance of the simplified reporting
procedure announced by the delegation at the end of the dialogue.
B.
Positive aspects
3.
The Committee welcomes the accession to or ratification of the following
international instruments by the State party:
(a)
The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women, on 18 October 2005;
(b)
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional
Protocol, on 30 November 2007;
(c)
The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the
sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, on 30 June 2003;
(d)
The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the
involvement of children in armed conflict, on 24 September 2009;
(e)
The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, on 12
January 2015.
4.
The Committee welcomes the State party’s initiatives to revise its legislation in
areas of relevance to the Convention, including the adoption of:
* Adopted by the Committee at its sixty-sixth session (23 April–17 May 2019).
GE.19-09213(E)