Internal Security Act, 1950/1982-07-02

by enacted by the Parliament of South Africa

Act

To declare the Communist Party of South Africa to be an unlawful organization; to make provision for declaring other organizations promoting communistic activities or activities endangering the security of the State or the maintenance of public order to be unlawful and for prohibiting certain periodical or other publications; to prohibit certain communistic or other undesirable activities; to regulate the release on bail or otherwise of persons arrested for certain offences; to provide for the detention of certain witnesses; and to make provision for other incidental matters.

[Long title substituted by s. 7 of Act No. 79 of 1976.]

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(Afrikaans text signed by the Officer Administering the Government.)
(Assented to 26th June, 1950.)

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as amended by

Suppression of Communism Amendment Act, No. 50 of 1951
Riotous Assemblies and Suppression of Communism Amendment Act, No. 15 of 1954
General Law Amendment Act, No. 76 of 1962
General Law Amendment Act, No. 37 of 1963
General Law Amendment Act, No. 80 of 1964
Suppression of Communism Amendment Act, No. 97 of 1965
Suppression of Communism Amendment Act, No. 8 of 1966
General Law Amendment Act, No. 62 of 1966
Suppression of Communism Amendment Act, No. 24 of 1967
General Law Amendment Act, No. 102 of 1967
General Law Amendment Act, No. 70 of 1968
Suppression of Communism Amendment Act, No. 2 of 1972
General Law Amendment Act, No. 57 of 1975
Internal Security Amendment Act, No. 79 of 1976
Criminal Procedure Matters Amendment Act, No. 79 of 1978
Internal Security Act, No. 74 of 1982

[In terms of s. 14 of Act No. 76 of 1962, the words “State President” and “Republic” have been substituted for the words “Governor-General” and “Union”, respectively.]

[S. 1–17 repealed by s. 73 of Act No. 74 of 1982.]

No action for damages lies and no criminal action may be instituted for describing certain persons as communists.

17bis. No action for damages shall lie and no criminal action may be instituted against any person who describes as a communist a person—

(a)

whose name appears on a list in the custody of the officer referred to in section eight; or

(b)

who has at any time after the commencement of this Act professed to be a communist; or

(c)

who has in terms of the definition of that expression in section one been deemed by the State President or the Administrator of the territory of South-West Africa to be a communist and for as long as he is so deemed; or

(d)

in respect of whom a notice has been issued in terms of paragraph (a) of sub-section (1)bis of section five; or

(e)

who has been convicted of any of the offences referred to in paragraphs (a) to (i), both inclusive, of section eleven.

[S. 17bis inserted by s. 9 of Act No. 50 of 1951.]

[S. 18–19 and Schedule repealed by s. 73 of Act No. 74 of 1982.]