Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
26 March 2025 | 10:30 CAT

Do race-based policies mock SA’s democracy? 📢 The #NoMoreRaceLaws campaign challenges racial classification in law, calling for a truly non-racial society. (Source – IRR)

A growing debate on racial classification in South Africa has intensified following a campaign led by the Institute of Race Relations (IRR). The organization is advocating for the No More Race Laws Bill, urging Parliament to either abolish race-based laws entirely or formally reintroduce racial classification under the Population Registration Act.

IRR’s head of Strategic Initiatives, Herman Pretorius, emphasized the significance of this bill in addressing the contradictions in South African legislation. Speaking to Radio Islam International on the matter, Pretorius noted, “Since the Population Registration Act was repealed in 1991, the government has had no legal authority to classify individuals by race. Yet, we continue to see policies and laws built on the very premise that was outlawed.”

According to the IRR, the bill challenges Parliament to take a decisive stance on whether racial classification should remain part of the legal framework or be abolished entirely. Pretorius argues that the current system still echoes apartheid-era policies, creating divisions despite the nation’s commitment to non-racialism. “We must choose: either we move forward without racial classification or we admit we are still operating under its influence,” he said.

Supporters of the bill argue that existing race-based policies perpetuate divisions rather than promote equality. Pretorius pointed out that affirmative action and Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) laws continue to rely on racial classification, despite no legal foundation for doing so. He stressed, “It is time for honesty. If we reject apartheid-era racial classification, we cannot selectively uphold it when convenient.”

Opponents, however, argue that race-based policies remain necessary to address historical inequalities. Some fear that removing racial classification entirely may weaken efforts to uplift disadvantaged communities. “This bill is not about denying historical injustices but about ensuring that our legal system aligns with our constitutional values,” Pretorius clarified.

As the debate unfolds, the IRR is calling on South Africans to mobilise and hold Parliament accountable. Pretorius believes public pressure is key to driving legislative change. “Politicians are clinging to racial classification; ordinary South Africans are ready to move beyond it,” he concluded.

The No More Race Laws Bill presents a crucial turning point in South Africa’s legal and political landscape, with Parliament now facing the challenge of defining the country’s future approach to race and equality.

Listen to the full interview on Your World Today with Annisa Essack and Herman Pretorious here.