Stop criticising Govt, editor told

Press, 30 August 1977, Page 8

Stop criticising Govt, editor told

NZPA-Reuter Johannesburg The editor of the “World” and “Week-end World” black newspapers has said that the South African Justice Minister (Mr James Kruger) has ■warned him that his newspapers will be closed unless they stop publishing articles criticising the Government. Mr Percy Qoboza also said in a statement that he had been summoned to see the Prime Minister (Mr John Vorster) who expressed his distaste at the comment and stories the “World” carried. Mr Kruger told the Afrikaans newspaper, “Rapport,” earlier yesterday that he set a high price on press freedom, but he believed the “World” was overstepping the mark and heading in the direction of a press revolution. "In these circumstances I cannot allow the newspaper to continue with such articles.” he said. Mr Kruger said he objected to several leading articles and columns in the “World.” including one headlined “The South African system is a breeding ground for revolution.”

Mr Qoboza said: “It is true that the Minister of Justice called me in to warn me that

he is prepared to close the ‘World’ and ‘Week-end World’ if we did not stop what we are doing.” Mr Qoboza said that “to date not a single complaint has brought us before the Press Council and that not one article or comment has necessitated our being brought before court, and yet we are now threatened with supreme action by the Minister of Justice. “It can only mean that we as a newspaper have not done anything wrong legally or broken any part of our ethics which we hold supreme. “The ‘World’ and ‘Weekend World’ are firmly committed to a fair and just society where racism, whatever quarter it comes from, is rejected with the contempt it deserves.” The “World,” which is published in English but written mainly for a black audience, is deeply involved in attempts to improve the lot of South Africa’s black majority. In a recent campaign, it was largely responsible for assembling Soweto’s Committee of 10, a group pressing for autonomy for the black township outside Johannesburg. y