The Black Sash Die Swart Serp
F N the last issue of Sash we commented on t h e tremendous powers taken by the Cabinet i n recent legislation. All t h a t went before in this 1969 parliamentary session paled into insignificance with t h e passing of the General Laws A m e n d m e n t Act. T h e r e was widespread protest against t h e introduction of Sections 10 and 29 — t h e clauses which earn- ed t h e Act t h e n a m e of Boss Act. T h i s pro- test went unheeded as all protest has gone u n - heeded i n t h e last twenty-one years.
How long will it be before the general public forgets that there are yet more matters which the government says they may n o t know a b o u t ; police matters, military matters, secur- ity matters, matters w h i c h relate to o r may relate to the Bureau for State Security, prison conditions, people banned, imprisoned, house arrested.
Let there b e n o more talk of press freedom in South Africa. T h e effect of a wide iron curtain of laws is becoming increasingly clear.
T h e press dare n o t publish m a n y facts which should be made known because they cannot k n o w what it is against the law to say, a n d can they risk the heavy penalties which may
be imposed for saying i t ?
Let us never forget what goes on under t h e surface of s u n n y 'peaceful' South Africa. Let us never forget those who already suffer under t h e security laws and those whose suffering i s going to be so m u c h greater because, i n t h e future, n o one will know of the p u n i s h m e n t without trial inflicted upon them. Let us never forget those whose statements i n their own defence m a y never be heard if t h e Prime Min- ister issues a certificate forbidding it. Let us never forget, however long it may b e , w h a t it means to live i n a democracy.
J N die vnrige uitgawc van „Sash" het ons k o m m e n t a a r gelewer oor die reuse magte wat die kabinet aan hulle self toegeken h e t deur onlangse wetgewing. Alios wat in die
1969 Parlementere sessie die Algemene Regs- wysings Wet voorafgegaan het, h e t nietig gelyk in vergelyking daarmee.
Wyd verspreide protes was aangetcken teen klousulcs 10 en 29. die klousulcs wat die naum van Bosswet verdien h e t . D i e protes i s o o r die hoof gesien, net soos alle proteste vir die afgelope een en twintig jaar.
Hoe l a n k sal d i t wees voor die p u b l i e k ver- g e d dat daar n o u n o g mecr sake is wat die Kegering hulle verhoed om kennis van tc dra.
Sake rakende die polisie, die leer, sekuriteit, t r o n k kondisies, v a n mense wat in die b a n
gedoen is of in die t r o n k of onder h u i s arres geplaas is.
Moenie laat ons nog praat van pers vryheid in Suid-Afrika n i e . Die effek van *n wye yster gordyn van wette word h o e langcr h o e duideliker. Die pers durf baiemaal nie feite, wat bekend behoort te wees nie, te publisccr nie, omdat hulle nie k a n vasstel wat teen die
wet is nie en nie k a n waag om die swaar strawwe op hulle hals te haal n i e .
Laat ons nooit vergeet wat aangaan onder die oppervlakte v a n sonnigc, „vreedsarae"
Suid-Afrika n i e . Laat o n s nooit die lyding van diegene wat reeds deur die sekuriteitswette getref is vergeet nie, en diegene wat nog meer sal ly, want i n die toekoms sal niemand weet
van die straf, sonder hof verhoor, wat hulle op gele is n i e . Laat ons nooit vergeet van diegene wat hulself nooit m a g verdedig nie, as die Eerste Minister d i t verbied n i e . Laat ons nooit vergeet, al is dit n o g so laat, wat dit beteken o m i n ' n demokratiese samelewing te leef n i e .
The Black Sash, August, 1969 Die Swart Serp, Augustus, 1969
