SALRC Releases Six Discussion Papers on Criminal Procedure Act Reform

Posted 31 August 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category Justice

Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: The South African Law Reform Commission (SALRC) has issued six new discussion papers under Project 151, calling for written comments by 2 October 2026 as part of its ongoing comprehensive review of the Criminal Procedure Act, No. 51 of 1977.

The latest publications (Discussion Papers 176 through 181) form part of a multi-phase statutory modernisation programme intended to replace the 1977 Act with a criminal procedural regime aligned with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. These papers follow four discussion papers gazetted in February 2025, five in February 2026, and two in March 2026.

The discussion papers explore fundamental reforms across the criminal justice value chain, including pre-trial procedures, evidentiary rules, trial administration, and post-trial processes to address systemic delays and modernise procedural law.

Click here to download the SALRC Project 151 Media Statement.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: Criminal litigation practitioners and advocates should review Discussion Papers 176–181 to prepare for upcoming structural shifts in pre-trial procedures, evidentiary standards, and courtroom practice.
  • For your business: Law firms, bar associations, and corporate legal departments wishing to shape the reform must prepare and lodge formal written submissions to the SALRC ahead of the 2 October 2026 deadline.
  • For your clients: Corporate and individual clients involved in criminal investigations or proceedings will eventually face modernised procedural rules intended to expedite trials and reinforce constitutional fair-trial safeguards.

Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/criminal-procedure-act-review-more-discussion-papers-out-for-comment

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