How to read this table. A South African law has several dates: when each House of Parliament passed it, when the President signed it (assent), when it was published in the Government Gazette, and when it came into force (usually by a separate proclamation). These are different events, often months apart. Each date shows the exact words of its source and links to the copy we hold and to the original online (the Government Gazette, gov.za, the Presidency, or PMG's copy of the Hansard).
“No commencement proclamation located” records the result of our searches up to the date shown; it is not a statement that none exists. Facts compiled 27 October 2026.
| Law | Passed by the National Assembly | Passed by the NCOP | Signed by the President (assent) | Published in the Government Gazette | In force (commencement) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hate Speech ActAct 16 of 2023 · Bill B9-2018Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act | 14 March 2023 “Bill accordingly read a second time.” 5 December 2023 “Bill, as amended, accordingly passed.” | 15 November 2023 (verified (date); label qualified) “NCOP adopted its committee's report recommending the Council pass the Bill with proposed amendments; the NA Hansard of 5 Dec 2023 records the NCOP's passage on 15 November.” | 6 May 2024 “(Assented to on 06 May 2024)” | 14 May 2024 “Government Gazette Vol. 707, 14 May 2024, No. 50652” | No commencement proclamation located s12: the Act comes into operation on a date fixed by proclamation. Latest official step found: draft regulations published for comment (GG 53729, 28 Nov 2025). (Searched up to 27 October 2026.) |
| NHI ActAct 20 of 2023 · Bill B11-2019National Health Insurance Act | 13 June 2023 “The Bill is agreed to. Bill read for the second time.” | 6 December 2023 “Bill accordingly agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.” | 15 May 2024 “(Assented to on 15 May 2024)” | 16 May 2024 “Government Gazette Vol. 707, 16 May 2024, No. 50664” | No commencement proclamation located s59: commencement by proclamation; different dates may be fixed. On 24 Feb 2026 the Presidency undertook to delay the proclamation of any sections until the Constitutional Court rules. (Searched up to 27 October 2026.) |
| BELA ActAct 32 of 2024 · Bill B2-2022Basic Education Laws Amendment Act Also: 20 December 2024, Proclamation 237 signed and announced by the President (not the commencement date). | 26 October 2023 “Bill accordingly read a second time.” 16 May 2024 “Bill, as amended, accordingly passed.” | 14 May 2024 “The Bill is agreed to.” | 13 September 2024 “(Assented to 13 September 2024)” | 16 September 2024 “Government Gazette Vol. 711, 16 September 2024, No. 51258” | 24 December 2024 “I hereby determine the date of publication of this Proclamation in the Government Gazette as the date on which the Act shall come into operation. (GG 51836, 24 December 2024; whole Act)” |
| Employment Equity Act 1998Act 55 of 1998Employment Equity Act | not recorded | not recorded | 12 October 1998 “(Assented to 12 October 1998.)” | 19 October 1998 “Cape Town, 19 October 1998, No. 19370” | 14 May 1999 (from gov.za listing) “gov.za: 14 May 1999, Chapter 4 (Gazette 20057 of 14 May 1999)” 9 August 1999 (from gov.za listing) “gov.za: 9 August 1999, Chapter 11, Sections 1 to 4, 34, 47 to 52, 54 to 57, 59 to 64 and Schedules 2 and 3 (Gazette 20339 of 6 August 1999)” gov.za prints 'Chapter 11'; the Act has Chapters I–VI, so this reads as Chapter II. 1 December 1999 (from gov.za listing) “gov.za: 1 December 1999, Chapter 3 and sections 35 to 46, 58, 65 and Schedules 1 and 4 (Gazette 20626 of 23 November 1999)” Section 53 (certificates for state contracts) does not appear in any of the three 1999 commencements as gov.za lists them; the 1999 Gazettes themselves are not held. Proclamation 231 of 2024 (GG 51684, held) lists '53' among the sections amended by Act 4 of 2022 (new s53(6)), in force 1 January 2025; whether s53(1)–(5) is in operation is not settled by these documents. |
| Employment Equity Amendment ActAct 4 of 2022 · Bill B14-2020Employment Equity Amendment Act Also: 28 November 2024, Proclamation 231 published (GG 51684); signed 12 Nov 2024. Also: 12 November 2024, Proclamation 231 signed. | 16 November 2021 “Bill accordingly read a second time.” | 17 May 2022 “Bill agreed to in accordance with section 75 of the Constitution.” | 6 April 2023 “(Assented to 6 April 2023)” | 14 April 2023 “Government Gazette Vol. 694, 14 April 2023, No. 48418” | 1 January 2025 “determine 1 January 2025 as the date on which sections 1, 8, 14, 15A, 16, 20, 21, 27, 36, 37, 42, 53, 64A and Schedule 4 of the Employment Equity Amendment Act, No. 4 of 2022 shall come into operation (Proclamation 231, GG 51684, 28 Nov 2024)” The listed numbers are sections of the principal Act (55 of 1998) that the amending Act changes; the amending Act's own s15 (deleting two footnotes) is not named. Legal scope beyond this wording not settled here. |
| Expropriation ActAct 13 of 2024 · Bill B23-2020Expropriation Act Also: 23 January 2025, Thursday, 23 January 2025 President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed into law the Expropriation Bill (Presidency announcement; the Gazette's assent date is 20 December 2024). | 28 September 2022 “Bill read a second time.” 27 March 2024 “Bill, as amended, accordingly passed.” | 19 March 2024 “Bill agreed to in accordance with section 65” | 20 December 2024 “(Assented to 20 December 2024)” | 24 January 2025 “Government Gazette Vol. 715, 24 January 2025, No. 51964” | No commencement proclamation located s31: commencement by proclamation; different dates may be fixed. A constitutional challenge was before the Western Cape High Court as of 12 May 2026 ([2026] ZAWCHC 218, an interlocutory judgment). (Searched up to 27 October 2026.) |
| Land Court ActAct 6 of 2023 · Bill B11-2021Land Court Act | 27 September 2022 “LAND COURT BILL (Second Reading debate) … Bill read a second time.” 13 June 2023 “Bill, as amended, accordingly passed.” | 23 May 2023 “Bill was agreed to in terms of section 75 of the Constitution.” | 16 September 2023 “(Assented to 16 September 2023)” | 27 September 2023 “Government Gazette, 27 September 2023, No. 49372” | 5 April 2024 “I hereby determine 5 April 2024 as the date on which the said Act, with the exception of section 37 and items 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 of the Schedule… shall commence. (Proclamation 162, GG 50448)” |
| B-BBEE ActAct 53 of 2003Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act | not recorded | not recorded | 7 January 2004 “(Assented to 7 January 2004.)” | 9 January 2004 “9 January 2004 No. 25899” | 21 April 2004 (from gov.za listing) “gov.za: Commencement 21 April 2004 (Gazette 26285)” |
| B-BBEE Amendment ActAct 46 of 2013 · Bill B42-2012Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Amendment Act | 20 June 2013 “Question agreed to. Bill read a second time.” 12 November 2013 “Bill accordingly passed.” | 5 November 2013 “Bill accordingly agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.” | 23 January 2014 “(Assented to 23 January 2014)” | 27 January 2014 “27 January 2014 No. 37271” | 24 October 2014 “Proclamation No. 72, 2014: the Act shall come into operation on the date of publication of this proclamation (GG 38126, 24 October 2014), except section 3(b)” 24 October 2015 (derived) “Section 3(b) comes into operation one year after the date contemplated in subsection (2) (s10(3)); date worked out from that rule, not read from a notice” |
| CRL Rights Commission ActAct 19 of 2002Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities Act | not recorded | not recorded | 24 July 2002 “(Assented to 24 July 2002.)” | 30 July 2002 “30 July 2002 No. 23676” | 30 November 2002 (from gov.za listing) “gov.za: Commencement 30 November 2002 (Gazette 24072 of 15 November 2002)” |
CRL Commission: Section 22 Committee for the Christian sector
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 13 December 2024 | Presidency announces the appointment of the CRL Commission (Chairperson Mkhwanazi-Xaluva) for five years “President Ramaphosa has in terms of Section 12 of the CRL Rights Act appointed Ms Mkhwanazi-Xaluva and Mr Mahlangu as Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson” Appointed for five years (2024–2029). The statement says she previously served as a Commissioner; it does not say she was Chairperson before. |
| 11 February 2025 | CRL press conference: Section 22 to start with the Christian sector; Xulu to head it “It was indicated that the Commission was going to commence with Section 22 on the Christian Sector.” As recorded on the CRL's own slide in its 21 January 2026 press pack (page 14). |
| 15 April 2025 | Prof Musa Xulu appointed Chairperson of the Section 22 Committee “Prof. Musa Xulu was officially appointed as Chairperson of the Section 22 Committee effective from 15 April 2025, in a letter dated 25 April 2025.” |
| 2 October 2025 | Section 22 Committee for the Christian sector announced (Rhema Bible Church, Randburg) “was witnessed on 02 October 2025 when members of a Section 22 committee were announced at Rhema Bible Church in Randburg” From the CRL statement of 6 October 2025. |
| 19 December 2025 | Draft Self-Regulatory Framework for the Christian Sector published for consultation “Today, we are publishing a Draft Self-Regulatory Framework for the Christian Sector for national consultation.” |
| 15 January 2026 | Prof Xulu resigns as Chairperson of the Section 22 Committee “Prof. Xulu submitted a letter of resignation as Chairperson of the Committee on 15 January 2026, just moments before his press conference.” Date from the CRL Committee's statement of 15 January 2026. |
| 21 January 2026 | Date printed on the CRL's chronology slides (press pack) “It was indicated that the Commission was going to commence with Section 22 on the Christian Sector.” The slide records the 11 February 2025 press conference. Bitter Winter (15 April 2026) reports the same; quote the CRL slide. |
