Publications and Entertainments Act

The Publications and Entertainments Act of 1963 in South Africa was a significant piece of legislation used to suppress opposition to the apartheid regime. This act granted the minister of the interior the power to ban publications deemed "undesirable" for various reasons, including obscenity, moral harm, blasphemy, or if they were prejudicial to the safety, general welfare, peace, or order of the state.1

Thousands of books, newspapers, and other materials were banned under this act between 1950 and 1990. The act was a key tool in the government's efforts to control information and silence dissent, alongside other laws like the Suppression of Communism Act and the Internal Security Act, which allowed for the banning of organizations and individuals. The banning of individuals was a particularly severe measure, restricting their freedom of movement, association, and speech, effectively rendering them public nonentities.1