Voice of the Cape, 16 Jul 2026 @ 17h15: Interview with Director of the Teddy Bear Clinic for Abused Children, Dr Shaheda Omar, who discusses the lifelong trauma of sexual assault and advocates for a national sex offender register as a safeguard.

The National Register for Sex Offenders (NRSO) was established under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, 2007 and came into operation on 30 June 2009. It records the names, identity numbers, physical addresses, and nature of offences of individuals convicted of sexual crimes against children or mentally disabled persons.

The register is not publicly accessible and is maintained by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. Although the register has historically been confidential, there have been ongoing efforts to make it publicly accessible while complying with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).