October 19 1977 recallled - a day when the media in South Africa was crushed

By Marimuthu Subramoney
(aka Subry Govender)

At a time when most journalists in South Africa are expressing their serious concerns about the moves by the new rulers to introduce measures to get the media to "toe the line", it is appropriate to recall the day 34 years ago today (October 19 177) when the former apartheid regime carried out the biggest and most extensive crackdown against the Freedom of the Press.
October 19 1977 was the darkest day in the history of journalism in the country when the main black newspapers, World and Weekend World, were banned and ordered to cease publication along with Pro Veritate, a publication of the Christian Institute; and when editors and journalists were either banned, detained or interrogated and had their homes and offices raided and searched.
The action against the media, ordered by the infamous Minister of Justice, Mr Jimmy Kruger, was carried out in conjunction with the banning of 18 anti-apartheid interest groups, civic, student, religious and media organisations; and banning and detention of their leaders and officials. Mr Kruger and the State President at that time, Dr Nico Diederichs, signed the banning proclamations.
With the stroke of a pen, the state had removed two newspapers that had played a crucial role in keeping the people informed.
Mr Kruger just over a month earlier had described black consciousness leader, Steve Biko's death in detention, as "It leaves me cold".
The notorious security police or "special branch" of the time carried out systematic raids against journalists, newspaper offices and other publications in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London, Durban and other cities and towns around the country.
In Johannesburg, security policemen arrested Mr Percy Qoboza, Editor of the World and Weekend World, at his offices at about mid-day, only a few minutes before he was due to hold a media briefing about the banning of his newspapers. He was taken to the then John Vorster Square police headquarters. Mr Qoboza was subequently issued with a five-year banning order. His deputy and news editor, Aggrey Klaaste, was also detained and locked up.
The Editor of Pro Veritate, Mr Cedric Maysom, was also detained and issued with a banning and restriction order.
The security police in Johannesburg also carried out raids and searches at the homes and offices of other journalists and organisations, such as the Union of Black Journalists(UBJ), which was one of the 18 organisations banned. They also arrested and detained a number of journalists, including Mr Joe Thloloe, who is today the Press Ombudsman.
In East London, the security police raided the offices of the Daily Dispatch and served its editor, Mr Donald Woods, with a five-year banning order; and searched the homes of some of his reporters, including Miss Thenjiwe Mntintso, who later skipped the country to go into exile because of harrassment and intimidation.
In Durban, the security police raided and searched the homes of Mr Dennis Pather, who later became editor of the Daily News and the Sunday Tribune; and this correspondent. They confiscated papers and documents from this correspondent's desk at the Daily News.
When representations were subsequently made to Mr Kruger for the release of the detained journalists, he unapologetically responded by saying that the detentions were not meant to intimidate the Press and that his Government had good reasons to detain the journalists.
The clampdown against the media on October 19 1977 had a ironic twist two weeks later when it was reported that the Government was planning to print postage stamps to celebrate 150 years of Press Freedom in South Africa.
A Durban lawyer who was national chairman of the then Progressive Federal Party, Ray Swart, launched a blistering attack against the National Party Government for talking of Press Freedom at a time when it was conducting one of the most ruthless campaigns to suppress the media.
In an interview on October 28 1977, Mr Swart, a strong critic of the apartheid regime, told this correspondent in a report that was published in the Daily News that he was impressed that the Government should want to commemmorate Press Freedom but he would be more impressed if it gave greater indication of what it considered Press freedom to be.
He had said: "It seems strange that they intend doing this after having just banned three newspapers, incarcerated one editor and banned another. I find it difficult to reconcile the actions of the Government. I suggest the stamps they intend issuing to commemmorate Press freedom should have the faces of Mr Qoboza and Mr Woods."
Of course the Government of the day did not take up Mr Swart's recommendation and despite his, the country and world-wide condemnations of the action against the newspapers, editors and journalists, the state continued with its clampdown and suppression of the media much more forecfully. But despite some of the most stringent regulations and harrassment and intimidation of media practitioners over the next 13 years, most journalists never gave up and used October 19 to continue with the struggles for Press Freedom.
They realised their dream of Press Freedom when the ANC and other organisations were unbanned and when Mr Nelson Mandela and other leaders were released in February 1990.
Now, nearly 21 years later after enjoying true Press Freedom, our country is facing the prospect of new measures being introduced to force the media to become "pliant" and to "follow the politician".
The memory of October 19 1977 should ensure that we don't allow ourselves to follow the "Yaa Baas" route.