Entertainment laws

Laws governing the entertainment industry

Draft Entertainment Bill of 1913

A bill which first prescribed the licensing of places of entertainment in South Africa.

The law on Entertainment Tax 1925

(Afrikaans: "Vermaaklikheidsbelasting") This was a taxation first levied by the British government in England following the First World War. South Africa adopted this system round about 1925. The tariff differed in every province but could be anything between 22%-33% on each ticket sold and was much hated by the theatre fraternity, since it substantially reduced their profits. The taxes were implemented and monitored through the sale of tax stamps, which had to be affixed to each ticket sold. Numerous ingenious schemes were developed for evading such taxes, often by re-using the stamps. The tax system was scrapped in 19**.

Laws governing censorship

In 1963 the Publications and Entertainment Bill was passed. This stipulated **. PUBLICATIONS AND ENTERTAINMENT ACT no. 26 (1963). Prior to 1963, censorship was exercised by Customs, which meant locally-produced works were not subject to any censorship. This Act - which stayed in operation up to the passing of the Publications Act of 1974 - founded the first censorship board in South Africa, consisting of nine members, of which six were in charge of art, language and literature, allowing also for domestic censorship of ‘undesirable’ works. Although a provision was made for an appeal to the Supreme Court, this option was seldom exercised in practice. In all, an average of about 70 films per year, and 7000 publications were banned in the decade in which this Act was in operation. (See Gosher, 1988) [JH] PUBLICATIONS APPEAL BOARD. Higher authority called into being by the Publications Act of 1974. This body handled appeals against bannings previously referred to the Supreme Court and sat in camera with interested parties. (See Gosher, 1988) [JH] PUBLICATIONS ACT (1974). Supplanted the 1963 Publications and Entertainment Act. While retaining the strict provisions and criterion of ‘undesirability’, it closed some loopholes and replaced the right of appeal to the Supreme Court with an inhouse Publications Appeal Board. (See Gosher, 1988) [JH] See Smith, 1990, pp45-47.

See also Censorship in South Africa

Return to South African Theatre Terminology and Thematic Entries

Return to Main Page