ABSTRACT
Internal Security act was the single most troublesome and inhibiting set of restrictions on newsgathering and distribution. A consolidation of several security acts dating from the early 1950s, this law was South Africa's most far-reaching and comprehensive security law. Foundational rights, which concern the ability to establish a publication, were contingent on the minister of law and order. In terms of another act, the Newspaper and Imprint Registration Act, all newspapers published in South Africa had to be registered with the Department of Home Affairs. The Newspaper Press Union, which represented the mainstream press, concluded an agreement with the Defence Force in September 1980 to facilitate reporting on military matters. By its very nature, though, the agreement favored the military. Anthony Mathews commented that "both in form and practice it is precisely the kind of agreement one would expect between two parties that are hopelessly unequal in terms of legal right."
