Despite recent speculation that the government was considering lifting the Emergency media regulations, the catholic church-owned newspaper received a letter of warning from the new Minister of Home Affairs, Eugene Louw, accusing it of publishing ”subversive propaganda”. The letter sites 11 editions from August to October this year, in alleged contravention of the regulation.
New Nation has two weeks to make a representation to the minister, who may reject it and issue another warning. If a second representation in the following two weeks is also rejected New Nation could be suspended. Because the publication has been suspended once before – for two months in mid-1988 – it has less time to argue its case. Five publications, including Weekly Mail, were suspended last year.
*Derick Jackson, editor of Saamstaan, a community-based Oudtshoom newspaper, has been charged with contempt of court on charges relating to an article published in June this year. The article commented on the light sentences given to two policemen convicted of killing an activist. Saamstaan offices were searched by police this month and documents were confiscated.
*Restricted activist and Saamstaan journalist Reggie Oliphant was arrested by police at Cape Town’s DF Malan airport on Wednesday and driven home. Police told Weekly Mail they are investigating possibly charging Oliphant with contravening his restriction order. The order confines him to the Oudtshoorn magisterial district and, among other things, prevents him from speaking to journalists.
This article originally appeared in the Weekly Mail.
