Victim-centred prosecutions: lessons for South Africa

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines how South Africa can strengthen its victim-centred prosecutorial approach. It compares South African practices, such as the Thuthuzela Care Centres and the Victim Support Services Bill, with international models from countries like Scotland, Germany, New Zealand, and Japan, recommending a 'one-door' service approach and a digital victim notification system.

• The enactment of the Victim Support Services Bill is considered a critical step in providing a legal framework for the rights and needs of victims, which will benefit those served by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
• South Africa utilizes multi-disciplinary service centers to reduce secondary victimisation, specifically the Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCC) for gender-based violence and Khuseleka One-stop Centres for various crimes including human trafficking and child abuse. In 2018/19, 55 TCCs assisted 34,558 victims.
• The document recommends adopting a 'one-door' or 'nodal-point' approach, similar to the Scottish model, to centralize services and prevent victims from having to relive trauma across different government departments.
• There is a recommendation for South Africa to implement a victim notification system using mobile technology, noting that as of 2020, over 20 million South Africans have smartphones and there are 90 million active cell phone connections.
• The brief highlights the importance of structured relationships between the NPA and external entities, such as civil society organisations (CSOs) and academic institutions, to improve the understanding and meeting of victim needs.
• The current South African Service Charter for Victims of Crime is noted to be non-binding, which means it provides no guaranteed protection for victims' rights.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (n.d.). Victim-centred prosecutions: lessons for South Africa. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/pb-153.pdf

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. Victim-centred prosecutions: lessons for South Africa. n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/pb-153.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=Victim-centred prosecutions: lessons for South Africa |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/pb-153.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudiesndvictimcentred, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{Victim-centred prosecutions: lessons for South Africa }}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/pb-153.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }