ConCourt ruling on spanking ‘a victory for children’
The Constitutional Court has upheld a 2017 high court ruling outlawing corporal punishment of children in private homes.
The highest court in the land dismissed an appeal on the ruling, saying the common law defence of reasonable and moderate parental chastisement of children is inconsistent with the constitution.
Sonke Gender Justice, who were respondents in the case, believe Wednesday’s ruling is a victory children’s rights.
READ: Parents must choose to obey God or the law – Freedom of Religion SA
“It is a historic step for children’s rights in South Africa and secondly this is one of the best ways in preventing violence in society, in general,” says the organisation’s spokesperson Wessel van den Berg.
Senior researcher at the Children Rights Institute Lucy Jamieson adds that corporal punishment has been shown to have long-term effects on the psyche of children.
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