South Africans who violated COVID-19 lockdown regulations could soon have their criminal records expunged.
Parliament started the process to formulate new legislation in this regard.
Tens of thousands of people are sitting with criminal records after the state of disaster was enacted in March 2020.
With the regulations now in past – the justice portfolio committee is in the process of formulating new legislation to expunge the criminal records.
Police said in 2022, more than 400, 000 people were arrested for violating lockdown regulations during the first year of regulations.
While some received warnings, those who paid an admission of guilt fine have criminal records that could stand in the way of them getting employment or travelling overseas.
Justice committee chairperson Bulelani Magwanishe said that the new legislation will address this.
“We promised that we will deal with this matter immediately after COVID is over and the department is working on this issue so that we can have those criminal records expunged,” he said.
Most of the lockdown violations included illegal gatherings, off-site sale of alcohol outside of regulated times as well as violating the late-night curfew.
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