Incident
South Africa bans television and photographic coverage of unrest under a state of emergency
Under a state of emergency State President P. W. Botha had declared in July 1985, the government banned television, radio and photographic coverage of unrest in South Africa's Black townships on November 2, 1985, requiring print journalists to report only under police escort.123
What happened
State President P. W. Botha's government declared a state of emergency in parts of South Africa on July 21, 1985, in response to widening unrest against apartheid in Black townships. On November 2, 1985, Minister of Law and Order Louis le Grange announced new emergency regulations banning television, radio and photographic coverage of riot situations entirely, saying camera crews had become a catalyst for further violence. A government notice made it an offense to record any riot situation by sound or image, with penalties of up to a $7,000 fine or 10 years in prison. Print journalists were still permitted to report on unrest, but only under police escort. International news organizations, including UPI and NBC News, protested that the restrictions made objective reporting far harder, while South Africa's Foreign Correspondents Association warned the measure marked the start of what it called a slide toward a completely controlled press.123
What reason was given
Stated justificationLe Grange said the government was concerned that the presence of television and other camera crews in unrest situations had become a catalyst for further violence, and framed the ban as a way to reduce that effect.1
What changed for reporting
Television, radio and photographic coverage of unrest in South African townships was banned outright, with violators facing large fines or years in prison, while print reporters could cover unrest only under police escort.3
Timeline
1985
Who acted
| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
|---|---|---|
| Louis le Grange | announced | Minister of Law and Order, South Africa |
| P. W. Botha | other | State President of South Africa |
Sources
Claims and evidence
Each numbered claim quotes the source it rests on.
- Minister Louis le Grange said the government was concerned about television and other camera crews being present in unrest situations that proved to be a catalyst to further violence.
The government is concerned with the presence of television and other camera crews in unrest situations which proved to be a catalyst to further violence.
South Africa Saturday issued a ban on all television..., UPI Archives, 1985-11-02.Claim 180, checked 2026-09-22. - A government gazette notice made it an offense under the emergency regulations to take any sound or visual recording of a riot situation.
It is an offense under the emergency regulations to take a recording (sound or visual) of any riot situation.
South Africa Saturday issued a ban on all television..., UPI Archives, 1985-11-02.Claim 181, checked 2026-09-22. - South Africa's Foreign Correspondents Association condemned the measure as the start of what it called a slide toward a completely controlled press.
the beginning of the slippery slide toward a totally controlled press.
South Africa Saturday issued a ban on all television..., UPI Archives, 1985-11-02.Claim 182, checked 2026-09-22.