In 1953, the Public Safety Act was enacted by the

apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

South African government (coming into force 4 March). This Act empowered the government to declare stringent states of emergency and increased penalties for

protesting A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one. Protests can be thought of as acts of coopera ...

against or supporting the repeal of a law. This act was passed in response to civil disobedience campaigns by the

African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a social-democratic political party in South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when the first post-apartheid election install ...

(ANC), in particular the Defiance Campaign of 1952 (instigated by ANC leaders, including Nelson Mandela and

Walter Sisulu Walter Max Ulyate Sisulu (18 May 1912 – 5 May 2003) was a South African anti-apartheid activist and member of the African National Congress (ANC). Between terms as ANC Secretary-General (1949–1954) and ANC Deputy President (1991–1994), h ...

). The Act included a provision that empowered the government to declare a state of emergency in any or every part of the country (South West Africa included) and to rule by proclamation. Under Section 3, this power was granted to the

Governor General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy ...

(and later, the State President), and it effectively put no limits on what measures might be taken, or for how long. Moreover, any law issued during a state of emergency could be made retrospective for four days to cover any emergency action taken by the police. The emergency regulations could suspend any act of Parliament, with a few exceptions. If the justice minister or administrator of South West Africa deemed it necessary, they could declare a state of emergency but the governor general had to approve their action within ten days. Under a state of emergency, the Minister of Law and Order, the Commissioner of the

South African Police The South African Police (SAP) was the national police force and law enforcement agency in South Africa from 1913 to 1994; it was the ''de facto'' police force in the territory of South West Africa (Namibia) from 1939 to 1981. After South Af ...

(SAP), a magistrate, or a commissioned office

could detain any person for "reasons of public safety". The Public Safety Act, further provided for detention without trial for any dissen

https://books.google.com.gh/books?id=fG0KBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA163&lpg=PA163&dq=the+public+safety+act++further+provided+for+detention+without+trial+for+any+dissent&source=bl&ots=hrH0rIzAlG&sig=ACfU3U3cFeHx4YpTbIDVCRiVaK_mMWttGg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwimjqqShc_pAhXNxIUKHa4PAuwQ6AEwDHoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=the%20public%20safety%20act%20%20further%20provided%20for%20detention%20without%20trial%20for%20any%20dissent&f=fals

Repeal

The Act was repealed by the State of Emergency Act No 86 of 1995.

References

External links

African History: Apartheid Legislation in South Africa
Apartheid laws in South Africa 1953 in South African law {{Statute-stub

Repeal

See also

References

External links