South Africa’s parliament has passed a bill which would expunge criminal records for those convicted of breaching Covid-19 lockdown laws.
South Africa had some of the world’s toughest restrictions, which saw more than 400,000 arrested for not wearing masks, consuming alcohol and breaking curfew, among other violations.
Those who admitted guilt and paid fines will now have their records cleared.
South Africans have broadly welcomed this bill.
It has to be approved by the National Council of Provinces, and then signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa but there is little doubt it will become law.
The Judicial Matters Amendment Bill gained broad political support when it was debated in parliament.
The opposition African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), which supported the bill, highlighted how having a criminal record affected some people’s chances of finding jobs.