New Bills Attacked In South Africa

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30770, 7 June 1965, Page 11

New Bills Attacked In South Africa

(N.Z.P A.-Reuter—Copyright

JOHANNESBURG, June 6.

English-language South African newspapers today printed slashing front-page attacks on two new bills published yesterday, giving the Minister of Justice sweeping new legal powers.

They quoted lawyers as interpreting one section of the Suppression of Communism Amendment Bill as meaning that the Minister would be able to ban publication of any statement by anybody he considered was furthering Communist aims in any part of the world. They said this could include Russian and Chinese leaders, the British Prime Minister, any speaker in the United Nations, or President de Gaulle if the Minister, Mr Balthazar Vorster, considered

they had made pro-Commun-ist statements. A section of the bill says that the ban on publication of any statement by people prohibited from attending public gatherings is to be extended to statements, speeches, utterances or writings of listed Communists in South Africa. It also extends the prevision for placing prohibitions and restrictions on people under, the Suppression of Communism Act to cover people who “advocate, advise, defend ■ or encourage the objects of i Communism outside the Re--1 public.’-’ ■ The unnamed lawyers said that, as it was already an of- ■ fence to publish statements by such people inside South

Africa, the new extension meant that the Government would be able to ban publication of statements by anybody outside South Africa on whom prohibitions and restrictions were placed. I The "Sunday Chronicle’’ quoted a lawyer as saying: I "This is the thin edge of the wedge of newspaper control ; —quite the most flagrant violation of the principles of | newspaper freedom 1 have ever seen. “He is seeking to appropriate powers that could bring jto a virtual standstill any 1 newspaper that is inimical to the Government.” I Provision of the bills would also:

Empo.wer the Attorney-Gene-ral to order the arrest and detention for up to six months of State witnesses in court cases.

Empower him to refuse bail to anyone accused of a wide variety of offences, including murder, sabotage. arson or incitement.

Empower the Supreme Court to bar anyone from practising as a lawyer or advocate if he is a listed Communist or has been convicted under the Suppression of Communism Act. Empower the confiscation of any printing press used to publish statements by banned people. Renew the law under which people such as Robert Sobukwe, the former leader of the banned PanAfrican Congress, can be detained for an indefinite period after they have served sentences imposed on them.