604:(Act No. 2 of 1988) renamed the Immorality Act, 1957 to the Sexual Offences Act, 1957. It criminalised, for the first time, a woman having sex with a person under the age of consent, for that purpose setting the age of consent at 16 for a boy and 19 for a girl. It also made it a crime to be a prostitute, where previously only certain acts related to prostitution (brothel-keeping, procuring, etc.) had been illegal. The legislation also noted that either gender could now be convicted of sexual offences.
494:(Act No. 5 of 1927) prohibited sexual intercourse outside of marriage between "Europeans" (white people) and "natives" (black people). The penalty was up to five years' imprisonment for the man and four years' imprisonment for the woman. A person's colour during trial was dictated by their 'race', a term which described a person's appearance, mannerisms, and assumed descent/ethnicity (similar to later 'colour classifications' recognised during the
878:
460:
which prohibited, amongst other things, sexual relations between white people and people of other races. The first
Immorality Act, of 1927, prohibited sex outside of marriage between whites and blacks, until amended in 1950 to prohibit sex between whites and all non-whites. The second Immorality Act,
547:) repealed the 1927 and 1950 acts and replaced them with a clause prohibiting sexual intercourse or "immoral or indecent acts" between white people and anyone not white. It increased the penalty to up to seven years' imprisonment for both partners. The 1957 act also prohibited
502:" women for interracial intercourse, and contained a proposal that described a punishment of up to six years of imprisonment specifically for coloured women who were thought to be provoking white males to have intercourse with them.
613:
625:
509:(Act No. 21 of 1950) amended the 1927 act to forbid unmarried sexual intercourse between "Europeans" and anyone not "European". The prohibition was therefore extended to intercourse between white people and
558:(Act No. 57 of 1969) amended the 1957 act to introduce or expand a number of offences. It prohibited the manufacturing or sale of any "article intended to be used to perform an unnatural sexual act" (i.e.
436:
827:
585:(Act No. 72 of 1985) repealed the provisions of the 1957 act that prohibited interracial sex, and repealed the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act. This came as part of the repeal of many petty
578:, the infamous "three men at a party" clause, which prohibited any sexual activity between men at a party, where "party" was defined as any occasion where more than two people were present.
914:
113:
525:. Later legislation closely related to the Immorality Act also banned the marriage of interracial couples outside of South Africa, viewing foreign marriages as invalid and illegal.
631:
312:
429:
388:
476:
Between 1950 and the repeal of the law in 1985, at least 19,000 people were fully prosecuted for violating the law, whereas thousands more were arrested without a trial.
629:. The increased age of consent of nineteen for same-sex sexual activity (as opposed to sixteen for opposite-sex sexual activity) was invalidated in 2008 in the case of
498:
era of South
African history, where races were decided upon by government officials, not pre-determined by the true ethnicity of the accused). The act also prohibited "
200:
317:
422:
377:
235:
270:
255:
593:. This act specifically deleted the definitions of "coloured" and "white" within the act, and repealed Section 16 of the 1957 act which barred interracial,
250:
210:
165:
170:
889:
522:
129:
941:
291:
946:
327:
245:
107:
551:-keeping, procuring, and living off the proceeds of prostitution; and it prohibited sexual intercourse with people under the age of sixteen.
322:
620:
87:
97:
383:
362:
275:
155:
92:
52:
951:
789:
649:
356:
230:
220:
160:
145:
616:
repealed most of the remaining provisions of the 1957 act. The only provisions still in force are those related to prostitution.
260:
574:, the 1969 act made it a statutory crime for a man to have sex with another male under the age of nineteen. It also introduced
285:
180:
102:
82:
47:
280:
215:
342:
394:
225:
351:
347:
175:
919:
909:
904:
894:
457:
563:
534:
240:
205:
738:
Martins, Jeremy (2007). "Citizenship, "Civilisation", and the
Creation of South Africa's Immorality Act, 1927".
499:
332:
36:
644:
195:
67:
810:
654:
57:
22:
518:
514:
485:
135:
77:
635:, although by that time the discriminatory provisions had been repealed by the 2007 amendment act.
337:
306:
265:
62:
899:
884:
755:
567:
785:
701:
453:
747:
693:
594:
462:
150:
926:
681:
778:
935:
759:
466:
42:
470:
814:
659:
590:
575:
877:
751:
571:
705:
828:
Wikisource:Immorality and
Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Amendment Act, 1985
586:
510:
495:
190:
72:
697:
619:
The men-at-a-party offence (section 20A) was invalidated in 1998 by the
559:
548:
614:
Criminal Law (Sexual
Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, 2007
469:
was lifted in 1985, but certain sections of the 1957 act dealing with
626:
National
Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality v Minister of Justice
461:
of 1957, continued this prohibition and also dealt with many other
915:
Immorality and
Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Amendment Act, 1985
583:
Immorality and
Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Amendment Act, 1985
719:
Bamford, B.R (1960). "Offences Under the
Immorality Act".
862:. Criminal Law and Procedure (22): 633–34. 25 Feb 1988.
632:
Geldenhuys v
National Director of Public Prosecutions
473:
remain in force as the "Sexual Offences Act, 1957".
777:
389:Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act
927:Apartheid: Mixed marriages and the immorality act
839:Milton, John (1988). "The Sexual Offences Act".
16:Anti-miscegenation law in apartheid South Africa
313:Separate Representation of Voters Amendment Act
543:(Act No. 23 of 1957; subsequently renamed the
430:
8:
858:"Immorality Amendment Act (No. 2 of 1988)".
412:the existing legislation named was amended.
292:Coloured Persons Representative Council Act
437:
423:
201:Native Labour (Settlement of Disputes) Act
18:
841:South African Journal of Criminal Justice
805:"South Africa Frees Interracial Couple".
363:Republic of South Africa Constitution Act
318:Prohibition of Political Interference Act
276:Republic of South Africa Constitution Act
890:Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act, 1949
860:Statues of the Republic of South Africa
672:
662:, whose family was affected by the laws
236:Natives (Prohibition of Interdicts) Act
21:
771:
769:
271:Coloured Persons Communal Reserves Act
256:Promotion of Bantu Self-government Act
108:Native (Urban Areas) Consolidation Act
682:""Do You Call Yourself a White Man?""
410:No new legislation introduced, rather
251:Extension of University Education Act
211:Reservation of Separate Amenities Act
166:Separate Representation of Voters Act
7:
171:Prevention of Illegal Squatting Act
523:Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act
130:Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act
53:Transvaal Asiatic Registration Act
14:
650:Population Registration Act, 1950
566:was already prohibited under the
876:
740:South African Historical Journal
328:Bantu Homelands Constitution Act
246:Bantu Investment Corporation Act
521:had been banned in 1949 by the
323:Bantu Homelands Citizenship Act
48:Natal Legislative Assembly Bill
942:Apartheid laws in South Africa
920:Immorality Amendment Act, 1988
910:Immorality Amendment Act, 1969
905:Immorality Amendment Act, 1967
895:Immorality Amendment Act, 1950
686:The American Historical Review
602:Immorality Amendment Act, 1988
556:Immorality Amendment Act, 1969
507:Immorality Amendment Act, 1950
1:
947:Multiracial affairs in Africa
780:South Africa: no turning back
589:laws under the government of
378:Negotiations to end Apartheid
98:Representation of Natives Act
784:. Indiana University Press.
156:Suppression of Communism Act
93:Franchise Laws Amendment Act
680:Klausen, Susanne M (2022).
357:Black Local Authorities Act
348:List of National Key Points
231:Industrial Conciliation Act
221:Group Areas Development Act
161:Native Building Workers Act
146:Population Registration Act
126:Malan to Verwoerd (1948–66)
88:Women's Enfranchisement Act
968:
532:
483:
458:Parliament of South Africa
303:Vorster to Botha (1966–90)
261:Unlawful Organizations Act
752:10.1080/02582470709464779
721:South African Law Journal
562:). Despite the fact that
545:Sexual Offences Act, 1957
535:Sexual Offences Act, 1957
286:General Law Amendment Act
181:Native Laws Amendment Act
103:Native Trust and Land Act
83:Native Administration Act
73:Natives (Urban Areas) Act
952:Sex laws in South Africa
281:Urban Bantu Councils Act
216:Natives Resettlement Act
136:Immorality Amendment Act
37:Franchise and Ballot Act
33:Precursors (before 1948)
776:Johnson, Shaun (1989).
645:Anti-miscegenation laws
343:National Key Points Act
114:Asiatic Land Tenure Act
226:Riotous Assemblies Act
23:Apartheid legislation
881:Texts on Wikisource:
655:Apartheid legislation
519:Interracial marriages
452:was the title of two
374:Abolishment (1990–96)
352:Internal Security Act
176:Bantu Authorities Act
900:Immorality Act, 1957
885:Immorality Act, 1927
621:Constitutional Court
541:Immorality Act, 1957
492:Immorality Act, 1927
486:Immorality Act, 1927
384:Interim Constitution
809:: 42. 13 May 1969.
698:10.1093/ahr/rhac013
206:Bantu Education Act
63:Mines and Works Act
807:The New York Times
333:Aliens Control Act
447:
446:
413:
196:Public Safety Act
187:
142:
959:
880:
864:
863:
855:
849:
848:
836:
830:
825:
819:
818:
802:
796:
795:
783:
773:
764:
763:
735:
729:
728:
716:
710:
709:
677:
595:extramarital sex
568:common law crime
439:
432:
425:
414:
409:
183:
138:
68:Natives Land Act
58:South Africa Act
19:
967:
966:
962:
961:
960:
958:
957:
956:
932:
931:
873:
868:
867:
857:
856:
852:
838:
837:
833:
826:
822:
804:
803:
799:
792:
775:
774:
767:
737:
736:
732:
718:
717:
713:
679:
678:
674:
669:
641:
623:in the case of
610:
564:sex between men
537:
531:
488:
482:
467:interracial sex
443:
411:
408:
400:
399:
398:
392:
387:
381:
375:
367:
366:
360:
355:
350:
346:
341:
336:
331:
326:
321:
316:
310:
304:
296:
295:
289:
284:
279:
274:
269:
264:
259:
254:
249:
244:
239:
234:
229:
224:
219:
214:
209:
204:
199:
194:
189:
179:
174:
169:
164:
159:
154:
151:Group Areas Act
149:
144:
133:
127:
119:
118:
117:
111:
106:
101:
96:
91:
86:
81:
76:
71:
66:
61:
56:
51:
46:
40:
34:
25:in South Africa
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
965:
963:
955:
954:
949:
944:
934:
933:
930:
929:
924:
923:
922:
917:
912:
907:
902:
897:
892:
887:
872:
871:External links
869:
866:
865:
850:
831:
820:
797:
790:
765:
746:(1): 223–241.
730:
711:
692:(1): 159–193.
671:
670:
668:
665:
664:
663:
657:
652:
647:
640:
637:
609:
606:
533:Main article:
530:
527:
484:Main article:
481:
478:
450:Immorality Act
445:
444:
442:
441:
434:
427:
419:
416:
415:
402:
401:
376:
373:
372:
369:
368:
305:
302:
301:
298:
297:
241:Immorality Act
128:
125:
124:
121:
120:
78:Immorality Act
35:
32:
31:
28:
27:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
964:
953:
950:
948:
945:
943:
940:
939:
937:
928:
925:
921:
918:
916:
913:
911:
908:
906:
903:
901:
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
886:
883:
882:
879:
875:
874:
870:
861:
854:
851:
847:(2): 269–274.
846:
842:
835:
832:
829:
824:
821:
816:
812:
808:
801:
798:
793:
791:0-253-35395-5
787:
782:
781:
772:
770:
766:
761:
757:
753:
749:
745:
741:
734:
731:
726:
722:
715:
712:
707:
703:
699:
695:
691:
687:
683:
676:
673:
666:
661:
658:
656:
653:
651:
648:
646:
643:
642:
638:
636:
634:
633:
628:
627:
622:
617:
615:
607:
605:
603:
598:
596:
592:
588:
584:
579:
577:
573:
569:
565:
561:
557:
552:
550:
546:
542:
536:
528:
526:
524:
520:
516:
512:
508:
503:
501:
497:
493:
487:
479:
477:
474:
472:
468:
465:. The ban on
464:
459:
455:
451:
440:
435:
433:
428:
426:
421:
420:
418:
417:
407:
404:
403:
396:
393:
390:
385:
379:
371:
370:
364:
361:
358:
353:
349:
344:
339:
338:Indemnity Act
334:
329:
324:
319:
314:
308:
307:Terrorism Act
300:
299:
293:
290:
287:
282:
277:
272:
267:
266:Indemnity Act
262:
257:
252:
247:
242:
237:
232:
227:
222:
217:
212:
207:
202:
197:
192:
191:Pass Laws Act
186:
182:
177:
172:
167:
162:
157:
152:
147:
141:
137:
131:
123:
122:
115:
112:
109:
104:
99:
94:
89:
84:
79:
74:
69:
64:
59:
54:
49:
44:
43:Glen Grey Act
38:
30:
29:
26:
20:
859:
853:
844:
840:
834:
823:
806:
800:
779:
743:
739:
733:
724:
720:
714:
689:
685:
675:
630:
624:
618:
611:
601:
599:
582:
580:
555:
553:
544:
540:
538:
529:The 1957 act
506:
504:
491:
489:
480:The 1927 act
475:
471:prostitution
463:sex offences
449:
448:
405:
395:Constitution
382:
311:
184:
139:
134:
41:
660:Trevor Noah
591:P. W. Botha
576:section 20A
936:Categories
667:References
815:118512158
760:144954485
706:0002-8762
587:apartheid
500:procuring
496:Apartheid
380:(1990–93)
811:ProQuest
639:See also
560:sex toys
517:people.
511:coloured
549:brothel
456:of the
45:(1894)
813:
788:
758:
727:: 167.
704:
608:Repeal
572:sodomy
397:(1996)
391:(1995)
386:(1993)
365:(1983)
359:(1982)
354:(1982)
345:(1980)
340:(1977)
335:(1973)
330:(1971)
325:(1970)
320:(1968)
315:(1968)
309:(1967)
294:(1964)
288:(1963)
283:(1961)
278:(1961)
273:(1961)
268:(1961)
263:(1960)
258:(1959)
253:(1959)
248:(1959)
243:(1957)
238:(1956)
233:(1956)
228:(1956)
223:(1955)
218:(1954)
213:(1953)
208:(1953)
203:(1953)
198:(1953)
193:(1952)
188:(1952)
178:(1951)
173:(1951)
168:(1951)
163:(1951)
158:(1950)
153:(1950)
148:(1950)
143:(1950)
132:(1949)
116:(1946)
110:(1945)
105:(1936)
100:(1936)
95:(1931)
90:(1930)
85:(1927)
80:(1927)
75:(1923)
70:(1913)
65:(1911)
60:(1909)
55:(1906)
50:(1894)
39:(1892)
756:S2CID
515:Asian
786:ISBN
702:ISSN
612:The
600:The
581:The
554:The
539:The
505:The
490:The
454:acts
748:doi
694:doi
690:127
570:of
513:or
938::
843:.
768:^
754:.
744:59
742:.
725:77
723:.
700:.
688:.
684:.
597:.
845:1
817:.
794:.
762:.
750::
708:.
696::
438:e
431:t
424:v
406:†
185:†
140:†
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.