This Day in History: 28 August 1987
Faced with increasing resistance and an increasingly ungovernable country, the government introduced wider press restrictions under the 1986 state of emergency. The state of emergency gave the president powers to rule by decree and to introduce any measures deemed necessary to curb resistance. As a result of these powers, the Minister of Home Affairs and Communication, Stoffel Botha introduced more press restrictions to censor the media from reporting about incidents relating to unrest and police activities.
Botha also labelled the alternative media, which were free from government control, "media terrorists" for publicising violence and proclaiming revolutionary messages against the state. He also said "Freedom of expression will not be allowed to such an extent that it fosters chaos and revolt in South Africa" (Williams 1998).
Some of the alternative media targeted by the government were:
The Weekly Mail
The New Nation
"South" in Cape Town
Umafrika
Capital Radio
Vryeweekblad