S.A. Press Attack Govt. On Law Bill

Press, Volume C, Issue 29513, 13 May 1961, Page 11

S. A. Press Attack Govt. On Law Bill

IN Z.PA.-Reuter—Copyright) JOHANNESBURG, May 11. South Africa’s uew General Law Amendment Bill, which enables the Government to detain people for 12 days without bail and refuse trial by jury in certain cases, was attacked by the English-language press today.

In Johannesburg. the “Rand Daily Mail” described it as the type of legislation which gave South Africa the reputation of being a police s' its.

In Pretoria, the “News” said the effect of the bill was to put South Africa in a permanent state of emergency, while in Durban the “Natal Daily News” commented that with it South Africa was moving further and further from the Western concept of a democratic state.

The Johannesburg Afri. kaans afternoon daily “Die Vaderland.” however, favoured it. “A revolt against the established order cannot be toler-

ated in any democratic country,” it said. It linked the bill with nationalism in other parts of Africa and said: “To the north in Africa democracy is busy disappearing with totalitarian governments and anarchy as a consequence.” The English language Johannesburg “Star” commented on the statement by the Minister of Defence (Mr Erasmus) that the purpose of the bill was to combat intimidation. “Intimidation has become one of the most sinister weapons of the twentieth century and Mr Erasmus is right to take drastic action against it,” said the newspaper. “But who ure ‘he in“m ators—against whom is all this aimed?”