26 June 1950

Suppression of Communism Act, No. 44 of 1950 approved in parliament

The Suppression of Communism Act, No. 44 of 1950 (originally introduced as the Unlawful Organisations Bill), according to which the Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA) was declared an illegal organisation, was approved on 26 June in parliament and came into force on 17 July 1950. Dates concerning the approval vary slightly in different sources, i.e. it is given as 24 June in Illustrated History of South Africa, but 26 June seems to be the most accepted date.

The Act was introduced in an attempt to curb the influence of the CPSA and other formations that opposed the government's apartheid policy. It sanctioned the punishment of the CPSA or any group intending to bring about political, economic, industrial and social change through the promotion of disorder or disturbance, using unlawful acts or encouraging feelings of hostility between the European and non-European races of the Union of South Africa.

The Act was progressively tightened up in 1951, 1954, and yearly since 1962, up to 1968.

Read the statement condemning the first banning under the Suppression of Communism Act

Sources:

1. Wallis, F. (2000). Nuusdagboek: feite en fratse oor 1000 jaar, Kaapstad: Human & Rousseau.
2. Muller, C.F.J. (ed)(1981). Five Hundred years: a history of South Africa; 3rd rev. ed., Pretoria: Academica, p. 493.
3. Potgieter, D.J. et al. (eds)(1970). Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, Cape Town: NASOU, v. 3, p. 369.
4. Reader’s Digest. (1988). Illustrated History of South Africa: the real story, New York: Reader’s Digest Association, p. 380.