No spanking at home - NCOP
30/05/2007 21:51  - (SA)  

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Cape Town - South African parliamentarians have given their thumbs-up to a proposed law banning parents or guardians from spanking their charges.

The law is an attempt to widen a ban on corporal punishment in schools, which was passed several years ago, to the home.

The Children's Amendment Bill states: "No child may be subjected to corporal punishment or be punished in a cruel, inhuman or degrading way.

"Prosecution of a parent or person holding parental responsibilities and rights... may be instituted if the punishment constitutes abuse of the child."

The draft was passed on Tuesday by the National Council of Provinces.

It now has to pass through the National Assembly before being rubberstamped by President Thabo Mbeki.

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