Volunteer's Guide to Child Protection Checks in SA Sport U18 2025

They apply to volunteers and clubs too.

• Sexual Offences Act (s 40, as amended in 2021): an "employer" expressly includes any club, sports club, association or organisation that places people in a position of authority, supervision or care of children. An "employee" includes anyone who helps run the club's activities whether or not they are paid or rewarded. So a volunteer coach, team manager or helper is covered, and the club has an employer's duties.
• Children's Act (s 123): a person in Part B of the Child Protection Register may not work with or have access to children at a school, club or association providing services to children, "either as an employee, volunteer or in any other capacity".

A "child" in both Acts means anyone under 18.

Two groups of people are barred by law:

1. People on the National Register for Sex Offenders (Sexual Offences Act, s 41, as amended in 2021)
Anyone convicted of a sexual offence (or found under s 77(6) or 78(6) of the Criminal Procedure Act to have committed one), whether in South Africa or elsewhere, and whose particulars are on the register, may not:

• be employed to work with a child or other vulnerable person in any circumstances;
• hold any position that puts them in authority over, or in supervision or care of, a child; or
• be licensed or approved to run an entity that supervises or cares for children.

2. People in Part B of the National Child Protection Register (Children's Act, ss 120 and 123)
These are people a children's court, another court, or a disciplinary forum recognised by law has found unsuitable to work with children. They may not work with or have access to children at a school, club or association providing services to children, as an employee, volunteer or in any other capacity.

Since 2022 the NRSO covers all sexual offences, not only those against children.

The NRSO is run by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. The service is free.

Which form

• Form 7 (J738): you apply about your own particulars. Either you or the club can start this once you are the preferred candidate.
• Form 8 (J739): an application about another person's particulars.
• Form 8A (J958): to find out whether another person is on the register. Needs a sworn affidavit, both people's IDs and the written consent of the person being checked.

What to include (all forms)

• The completed, signed form, with your reasons for applying fully explained
• A certified copy of your ID document or passport
• A SAPS 69(i) fingerprint report, obtained from a police station
• Your postal or physical address, phone number and email

Where to submit
Original documents, by hand at any Department of Justice provincial office or at 329 Momentum Centre, cnr Pretorius and Sisulu Streets, Pretoria (also by courier), marked for the attention of the Registrar: NRSO. Enquiries: nrso@justice.gov.za or 083 444 1336.

The Department checks the register and issues a certificate saying whether you are listed. The club should wait for the outcome before confirming you in a role with children.

The National Child Protection Register is kept by the Department of Social Development (DSD). Checks are against Part B, the list of people found unsuitable to work with children (Children's Act 38 of 2005, s 126).

• Inquiries are made in writing, on a confidential basis. Attach a certified copy of your ID document or passport (a birth certificate only if you have neither).
• The Director-General must reply in writing within 21 working days, saying whether the name is in Part B (and, for a self-inquiry, the reasons it was entered).
• The forms are obtained from DSD offices. Enquiries: customercare@dsd.gov.za or 012 312 7727.

This is a separate check from the National Register for Sex Offenders, which is run by the Department of Justice.

Sexual offences (Sexual Offences Act, s 46)
If you have been convicted of a sexual offence (or a court made a finding about you under s 77(6) or 78(6) of the Criminal Procedure Act) and your particulars are, or are to be, on the National Register for Sex Offenders, you must:

• disclose it when you apply to coach, volunteer or work at the club; and
• if you are already involved, disclose it to the club without delay.

Failing to disclose is an offence: a fine or up to seven years' imprisonment, or both. The club must also end your involvement immediately if you did not disclose.

Child Protection Register (Children's Act, s 124)
If your name is in Part B of the register and you work with or have access to children at a school or other institution providing services to children, as an employee or volunteer, you must disclose that to the person who runs it. Not disclosing is misconduct and grounds for dismissal.

Under both Acts, a person on these registers may not work with children at a club in any case.

Sex Offenders Register (Sexual Offences Act, s 45, as amended in 2021)

• The club must not take on a person whose particulars are on the register to work with children.
• If it finds out that an existing coach or volunteer is on the register, it must take reasonable steps to stop them having access to children, for example moving them to a role with no such access. If that cannot keep children safe, the relationship or access must be ended immediately.
• Anyone who failed to disclose their listing must be removed immediately.
• An employer (which includes a sports club) that fails to comply commits an offence: a fine or up to seven years' imprisonment, or both.

Child Protection Register, Part B (Children's Act, s 123)

• A person whose name is in Part B may not work with or have access to children at a school, club or association providing services to children, whether as an employee, a volunteer or in any other capacity, and may not help manage or run one.
• Schools in particular may not allow such a person to work with or have access to children.

Neither register is public. A club can apply for a certificate about a specific person it is taking on (see the questions on applying), but nobody can browse or search the registers.

National Register for Sex Offenders (NRSO)

• The register is confidential. An application about another person is only granted if the Registrar is satisfied it is not frivolous or vexatious, the applicant has an interest in the information, and disclosure is in the interest of an identifiable vulnerable person.
• Wilfully disclosing or publishing information obtained from the register (other than for the purposes of the Act) is an offence: a fine or up to three years' imprisonment, or both.
• Parents can ask whether staff and coaches hold NRSO clearance certificates, but cannot search the register themselves.

National Child Protection Register, Part B (Children's Act, ss 125-127)

• Only the Director-General of Social Development, designated officials and certain designated organisations have access.
• Nobody may disclose that a person's name is in Part B, except within their legal duties, to an employer or organisation that made a written inquiry, to the person themselves, or on a court order.

Report it to the police immediately. Under section 54 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32 of 2007:

• Anyone who has knowledge, a reasonable belief or a suspicion that a sexual offence has been committed against a child (or another vulnerable person) must report it immediately to a police official.
• Failing to report is a criminal offence, with a fine or up to five years' imprisonment, or both.
• A person who reports a reasonable belief or suspicion in good faith cannot be sued or prosecuted for making the report.

The duty is personal: telling the club's safeguarding officer or the federation does not replace reporting to the police. You can also tell your club and federation safeguarding officers so they can follow their own policy.

According to the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture (November 2025):

• Good standing: a federation must have a safeguarding policy to be in good standing with SASCOC.
• Safeguarding officers: the policy must provide for the appointment of both a male and a female safeguarding officer, who deal with all safeguarding matters.
• Support: SASCOC has contracted The Guardian to help federations draft safeguarding policies and procedures, provide education and training, give expert support on cases, and carry out vetting (criminal record checks and police clearances).
• Government funding: the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture requires a signed, approved safeguarding policy before a sport or recreation body receives funding.

Clubs normally work under their federation's safeguarding policy, so the detail (training, codes of conduct, travel rules) is set by each federation.

Source: written reply to Parliamentary question NW6543, 17 November 2025.

SASCOC expects complaints to be dealt with by the federation first:

1. The member federation follows its own internal process, as set out in its safeguarding policy and constitution.
2. Only once that process has been exhausted and the matter is escalated to SASCOC does it go to SASCOC's Case Management Panel for guidance.
3. Where criminal charges have been laid and the police or courts are dealing with the matter, SASCOC and its members do not get involved, so the justice process can take its course.

A suspected sexual offence against a child must still be reported to the police straight away, whatever the sport's internal process (see the question on suspected abuse).

Source: Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, written reply to Parliamentary question NW2269 (July 2022), quoting SASCOC.