Minster of Justice, Pelser defends the banning orders on eight leaders of SASO

The banning of eight prominent Black Consciousness (BC) exponents in March 1973 came as a direct result of the popularity that these leaders enjoyed among Black South Africans. The reason for the popularity of the BC movement was that it advocated Black independence and a robust argument for dismantling the Apartheid dispensation. These goals were contrary to the objectives of the Apartheid state that sought to subjugate non-white South Africans. With this in mind, the state then began a campaign of surveillance against the BC leaders. Among the Black Consciousness leaders banned was Steve Biko. The Minister of Justice, Petrus Cornelius Pelser, defended these banning orders on 8 March 1973 during a parliamentary debate, in which he justifyed the action by stating that he was preempting future acts of terror. Opposition politicians called this into question as these individuals had not been brought to trial.