CENSORSHIP AND THE AUTHOR Andre P Brink on which the private field, individual. The territory highly charged magnetic ented by a creative needs the safety and security his community the sustenance, express himself, if there needs the inspiration, creative future, past. individual a new insight is and the public and the social meet has ~lways ,been a and even more so when, the pnva~e ~s, repres- cannot be other"llse. It the organised of the reassurance group; of a tradition inevitably to which he must The ~nd1v~dual, the art1st f1nds 1n within w~ich to h1mself address to be any meaning in hi s work. Society, the enterprise, the stimulation, on the other the vision to open up new perspecti into the present, ves and possibil ities interpretation and a valid hand, of for of the the the art More than ;n any other nificance in literature, his intensely which society frontation, individual communicates. form, because view of relationship this the medium in which the writer the world happens assumes particular to be the very medium in expresses sig- Language is a meeting place, a point of con- between the individual and the soci al. these society be operating The primitive two worl ds generally in such close In primitive they may, in fact, cally inseparable. the scientist, does not attempt to act on behalf people: far of his ian. His mi~d and work are the archives, gallery leader to impose a unique, he tries the beliefs from challenging on the contrary of h1S people. the religious He does not act against artist tribe seem to operate in harmo~y; associ ation as (who is, more often and even the legislator individual view of to be pract1- than not, of his tribe) the world on his also he acts the museum, taboo, of his people as curator the but with it. temple, as a whole; and guard- the art expans1on, l~vel funct10ns Problems ari se as this comp~ex 7 on the p~rely physical terr1tor~al metaphys1cal ge~ce of ph1losopher, Jealousl~ lopmen~ 1mpl1c1t 1n th1S situation. th~ prlVate tnbal taboo may, 1n fact, as a result (with the artist, and th~ collective sa:e~ua:dlng,h1 the la~-giv~r, threaten primiti ve and homogeneous tribe begins level, as a result as well as occupational of accumulation of numerical diversification; of new experiences, to grow more growth and and on the diver- the the scientist, the theologian, the judge each developing s own areas of jurisdiction), later Sooner or are no longer automatically in his own right, and the mental deve- a stage is reached where in harmony; where the enquiry of the individual mind. th' indispensable. Church and State, Even ~n highly developed societies and',in fact, creatlVe orgdans of soclety, stab il i ty b ore rand t s~ c ~ maX1mum~u~er an~ ~~~~:\ t~~d~lt10~; conservat~v:' ation the new optio W~l ~r (and the artist e'tva 1 S watchword 1S the status generally) th~ group. ues of '. \ the relationship In the ideal remains potentially situation the two great aiming at Y ensur1ng the maX1mumamount of personal of people; they can guarantee they honour security by uphol ding the the commonwealth maintain ' fulf1lment , the past by safeguarding time- "~ccepted " In this way, society quo. prevents In this stagnation is essentlally situ- same ideal by defining e lS the agent of change, of exploration, of risk. ns, can really ~either do ro uce anarchy' t absolutism or , freedom' of t 'th Wl OU t edg~n s,o h t e other f soclety, , would br1ng about a d1fferent d the a l~ ln dlffe~nt 'def' ' " The artlst lf terms, kind of on his own would In- unchecked, would lmpose. artist, tyranny inspired since by t~e ~d~al each lOdlVl~ left the , ' 16 dual's justice if total that freedan would threaten inspires society everybody else's; best would turn into its whereas at notion its overriding the interests of all it becomes an absolute system of checks ensuring a dynamic form of co-existence this Unfortunately, ideal of course, JT(lments of In the few ITKlstglorious the (as expressed individual and balances by the writer) situation the history the artist both personal obtains of civilisation did seem miraculously the of the nation and the interests of the group. the ideal of very opposite individuals. society and his and public very rarely, Through an intricate can,find growth. if ever. wishes of to coincide with the aspirations epi cs In the great Voltaire in France when the individual the levels, that the interests of i ally when these ends of soci ety, dissenting as such, but integral itself some now becomes destructive artist the organs organs lose orm right. and possibly in their in the their an form of censorship; - the works of Homer or Virgil, - this becomes threatened hannony is expressed has no choice but of society: thei r function By the sarre token, of Camoes in Portugal or But a time arrives admirably. to such an extent to go against situation this and on so many the organisation to arise tends and espec- as means to an end and turn into the organs in such a situation by every themsel ves threatened action society This part is when taboo, which forms an expresses of primitive and whole- to safeguard, society, not notably Church and State, voice and institute repressive feel own power-interests. indispensable what used to be constructive and a symptom of illness. is for that very as far concerned, is unavoidable. In South Africa, than not is usually it has gone so far the change is not perceived slow and imperceptible: before the ITKlmentof change was announced quite More often reason it confrontation writer dramatically in the hi stori c cl ash between Verwoerd and Van WykLouw when the 1atter's commissioned play for such a fierce attack play with the words: the writer quired believed that we were still we had progressed tically South Afri ca . I~hy, asked Verwoerd, 'n volk?" - "What is but an assertion. While Verwoerd age, Van ~~ykLouw knew that should a writer a nation?" What is coincided with the introduction the Fifth Republic Festival by the Prime Minister. this censorship can be no accident a question living as the Afrikaans "Wat is is not that codified in the epic of official, beyond it. elicited And it that of a violent re- clash prac- in open his view, offered It would be impossible ship to literature writer in society. from one society consensus torical of something of role specialisation the theoloqian, the writer allegiance truth and 1i be rty . this fully to evaluate the impact of one has defined more clearly the threat the function of censor- of the aspects but it this of sould not prove too difficult function may vary quite widely to reach unless Obviously to the other, on the essence of that function. In the light of above it would seem to me that the writer the original function have been taken over, of in the process the maqus or shaman. Certain of dlVersification imposed by the development the philosopher, the teacher of civilisation, But, etc. exercises to two essential his functions with a very special dimensions of existence at awareness of hlS as defined by Camus: the brief h1s- has retained aspects and by the scientist, the very l~ast. is his responsibility The writer may be seen as an expression It stantly mentals. of territory the changing terra of human experience patria. to guarantee His action exploring incognita the data of a cartographer. available is access into that is It of society's need for to th~se basic truth realities, and liberty. by con- of his world and comparlOg these wlth the funda-. Having traversed to him he draws a map of that sectlon it, has to be drawn and a map that 1,1 the time, redrawn all a correspondance exists the one can be made to reflect othe r. as possible out there. Map and territory ever more accurately as the aim is between what has been set can never be entirely to create out on paper identical; as truthfully as possible the contours as close and what but of the unknown or only partly known before; to know, the need of society The map makes known what has been either and it is based on an act of exploration. fils that discovery. prefer to be left eas i e r to accept new realities. be restrained nate into total It is a paradoxical in peace and not the status But if the writer his and die. from exercising inertia, In thi s respect to find out what is hidden, need, since society to kno\'} too much, since the writer ful- and to record as a body might so much to is it quo than to be fo rced to chan ge and adapt should function, fail in his duty, or society would eventually if he should stag- that facts to prevent those panic, has no official It is a hazardous undertaking, that permits him to undertake fortab1e either the writer truth t? further h~s report wltnessed. the trees may be affected fevers - and that and liberty their own ends. remains a highly And apart by the sun; and see hallucinations. not only for his explorations. the writer, but for the society He may come up with unco)11- in power might have preferred or to strengthen their mandate, no validity to remain hid?e~ - In addltlon, own position. beyond his own allegiance to can be easily manipulated But even if our explorer personal from the fact his vision may be impaired as can be, one, based only on what he himse1 f has that the wood for by personal he may grow 1ame; he might have missed shortcomings. he may fall by the unscrupulous as honest prey to strange His eyes is at is er - with, this is eit the risk societ that But t worthy f!1ap~ or total but if it f~ce thlS rlsk; 11be~ty of~ered by a daring remaln undla\l"0sed, here. several If aspects if a certain thlS general definition the serious ignorance of must least, take if it allows the the posslbi the terri about i ty 0 tory. artist ess a mere or A heal thy society in its midst. trust- can is individual. sick it may dread tne vision its In this case truth of very sickness may and amount of mixed metaphor may be introduced of threat the writer's function posed by censorship is acceptable, become clear. ~s cOl1lllitt!;d to a process i~ ~~ereas ~e.writer pfO lng! ~r~nglng to l1ght, o prohlb~tlOn and closing e~70mp~ssl~g cover-up syndrome which has become painfully In. t e neurosis ~nla, b fon;:atlon scandals t~ ~o epartment of scand~~~ ~h~t a~1.cos1ts may, in the long run, p;ove foll owing the disclosures (and how revealing openlng up, censorship down. In South Africa This neurosis information~). about that this uncover~ng, from a premlse al1- evident, forms part the inter of should urge to be worse than the the Department it all near-psychotic operates it of discovering, in the centre of of a orlglna 1y came to light. .. rlca auth Censorship in South Af . overall forms as det~~~~arla~ strate~ secret rity prec;uding acti norma~;tles on wlthout trl~l, of the Securlty arc th~ :emea~sfto or .. cannot be seen in isolation, which ~lso expresses artlltrary Police, bannings, itself but as part of an in such divergent the awesome web of the Group Areas Act, State SeCU- an end, has become an absolute truth and 1i be rty . end in itself, i i) As such political :onsideratlons a natural censorship sy~tem and i It function i S th A . ou n as el~ewhere, s by no means proJ1llted prlmarily frlca, forms part by moral or o~ee~s tOt'me that a speci fic e uca 10na1 authorities application and the church, of censorship as it belongs of ~ . re11g10uS is 1B to the me normal children successive a church certain church. that dividuals an untenable point: domain of religious for in order stages a parent or to fulfil the of development. doctrine, a teacher real ethlcs to "grade" and normal the needs and education. reading matter It would seem to of growing of such a child at Likewise, it would appear to warn its members writings However, conflicting the jurisdiction against with the possible religious the of a religious pernicious or moral authority to overstep from exercising infringement it by actually their with personal personal banning works, judgement liberty. to me for normal of influence of that end at should teaching or by prohibiting \'iould very soon become in- threatened imposed ei ther survival is itself activity. invariably of power When the State a political is ship chances its or Franco, Mao, or Salazar, of the pretence "moral" as it was come to power the mid-seventies as Russia The moment a political demands of hand in hand with moral comes "Communist suggests total the people; infiltration" submission and since to relax accepted that morals the imposes And it censorship comes as no it becomes, surprise I have as to note that uncertain to power, by an authoritarian because it in some way. or Verwoerd regime acceded just has as natural It was just to impose stringent as soon as possible considerations) for the censorship. in South as ne~1 "open" regimes of Portugal The fact that pornography Jl.frica and as very little such have "Western to do with its suggested, censor- own of or because or (under and Spain they had in is branded for Castro, censorship after propaganda" in the matter. regime wants to impose uniformity the need political - notably the arises to control, 1ibera1isation sexual au thoritari - liberalisation, an regi me. of above more often ideology all, the than censorship and thoughts not goes be- weapon of It may be regarded deciding himself; In this way censorship employed by the State for as aggression suppression as is part to keep itself of the against individual's right free enterprise institutionalised the the and parcel of in control. to thinking and of the mind. violence - most censorship, that in this spectacularly That fact which has been proved violence, generally phenomena South Africa moment a man and a woman dare to have regarded re 1i gi on, is 1i ke sex, constantly are framework, is essentially - in South Africa an undermining influence as much mol"f' innocuous and DO1iti cs. phil osophy amoral is the one area suggested b~ of express10n namely on society, by the t~an Smal' Chl1 dren 1n ce~sors exposed to insidious to make love, the forms of ~lolence, scene cut. is but the \ of censorship in South Africa weapon. My own Kennis a political and religious (1962) or Die of a political taboos Jlmbassadeur i~ basically motive colour bar) - and the book was banned, it is pri- the upholds van die Aand r a Coloured man's its novels were passed (1963), the bel ief that (1973) same .way ~s, explored say, the maJor d~fference efforts futlle predecessors by the censors; theme, Ma!r,rsfontein, political Lobola was to left the 0 one to have Nine of Etienne a more or Leroux's less explicit (1976), was banned. love - but not Daughter relationship the political (1979). - of and love poetry introduction the The history marily s~xua~, moral Vlr dle lewe the transcend untouched. only Magersfontein black-white LovinQ Burger's lyrics are those writers, banned case of Nadlne Gonl1mer ~ven a In the for as acceptable was regarded of or dimension fact that generation An Occaslon The Late BOUrGeois World the writings including. of black And the a whole - South Afri~an writers the polltlCS of disagreed with simply because the surely speaks authorities for itself. The violence 1iterary lnherent in censorship battlefield from the corpses 19 is well illustrated some twenty of by a small titles thousand sample pro- of at quite Junichiro are narres random by scanning selected like Carlos Castaneda, in South Africa: Index John Opdike, Robert Penn ~arren,'Joseph Tamizaki, William Styron, hibited black Zola, Kerouac, Vladimir Nabokov, Norman Mailer, Mary McCarthy, Brendan Behan, Nathaniel West, Guy de Maupassan~, de Mandiargues, Burroughs, excluding Jean Genet, Bemard Malamud, Gore Vidal, the nallEs of South Africans. Heller, J P Don1eavy, Henry Miller, Alain Robbe-Grlllet, r~aurois Colin Wilson, John Masters, Jean-Paul Erskine Francoi Sartre, Andre se Mallet-Joris, Caldwell, 0 H Lawrence, Alberto Mor~via, Andre, Pl~yre Wllllam etc - etc Jakobsen 's Emile Jack The ill1losition ali sed violence of silence the State is one of has its at the most pemicious disposal. forms of institution- very nature, springs from a need by its Censorship, and is iii) ~ tionings writers. so: the eration ators the most growth and deve10prrent aillEd most especially of mass values which are Censorship legislation ~or l.e. insidious and mental "generally the - cannot make exceptions: derives from which it the accepted", enemies health against a hallmark highly those of it inevitably the work of is not in its based available to impose.!!@ll individualist ques- truly creative nature to.do on a con~ld- commen denomin- guarantees creative mind which to a COllJ11Unity. is largest the of these mass values are interpreted by a small to act on beha1 f of others. there is, the word: per not definition, the true vicarious experience, In other words, an absence convictions thei or is: "community "I have group of ad- in the integr~ty the of of - necessarily .or values" no comp1 alnt r admln- who have of censorship sense involved, lnterpretation To make it worse, are, - iv) bureaucrats ~inistration ln the most basic ~strators ),nadequ~te conmUnlty standards". agains~ pe~onally, There IlEn and,ladies or readlng the others" lS certaln1y it of only their of The motto but think needs" "community censor the all the any of of of that no evidence others the spending weeks, months or years been depraved who may be harrred of e1 der1y 1!lJ1titude on end viewing X-rated by it. invariably But by it". gentle- films "all pomography are used as a pretext. has ever than By the do no mor: wo~s ed lnto coples the vox POPUll . the left censo:s sallE token there is no validity society its to imp?se what of restrictions, newsstands soclety would reJect country without on S?ut~ Africa~ ban lt ln the flrm conviction own accord. in the claim that as a whole wishes, censors banning were there would be very If ~ after that first the they are day or simply actually only those to be allow- if any, few, two., Yet heedlng the The most ~sts t,i~~~lre importan~ aspect, ?n the ~reml se that should soclety however, a handful read, see, remains of people discuss, the simple the in the fact ri ght final have and, censorship that to deCl de what instance, ' strength (and then, df 1 u therefore, enlng v) In practice, servants Th h t~n cr: o ta lve people that). tUhonef~ at i usuallyed 0, er lelds (Whi h' agai~stl~ on Y na~ura1, even if a ~ ve:; th' And h' lS group the prob1 lmpu~se ew road-mlnded the exercise w ereas fo persons who perform this censorship th e total is administered hold of bureaucracy include only task suggests by officials, by civil ,1 on the mlnds of peop e. only faded failed very, experience In addition t' there may be "~pecially - almost .. uca lon and rehglon few artists as preci?us1y form whlCh they derive and well-meaning .. em remalns fl' a that . lmlted o they act form of their individuals purely censorship seiected" never from the would be prepared d'etre.) raison do find very rarely, or bumt- persons arts. to act But. themselves in an "advisory within their capaclty own from ln " . 20 capacity operating of harmful censorship stringent operation and its domains appreciate radically ary concern enemies (school that different and church) might in their task, come natural of official on the is and of the maintenance tendencies its Ofin power, to its "security". to them, censors they of and the territory they do not are performing seem to a the State whose prim- elimination its of The moment official yi) 1n 1963, surrounding Publications committees, of a cancerous endanger by the official followed its Control Board the Directorate, cell which the whole body. introduced, is Act passed is various activated. successors as happened in South Africa in 1974, a large minefield The actions of numerous (the form only the nucleus to rapidly and multiplies the first small and the Board of Appeal) divides and subdivides inevitably, is is, the that codification of censorship in advance what wi 11 be banned publishers greatest times grow exceedingly risk), financial - Because one can be sure result ones who run the several happened in South Africa or promise are down. c~tion, printers k1nd. When Human & Rousseau censorship (when the one of who turned church original the printers that decided act was being it withdraw1 threatened to publish may be wary - or may be subjected Even when publishers turned its down did so because of business debated and what not. cautious and it may happen (after that manuscripts extremely vague, no The i mmediate the are has all, - as they it of particular to risk merit may decide to pressures Lobo1a vir die in Parliament) of pressure printer from the pub1i- of ano~her 1ewe at from a in question. 1n 1962 least themse1 ves may become inhibited. For the 1ast recei ved an average two or three manuscripts Writers have piring writers trend question you think I have witnessed of advice recent in need of in puts a young writer it's any good?" in his accompanying but: "Do you think it will or years fifteen so I per week from young as- roost alarming first that "Do censors?" is no longer: get past the is the the and by far since 1974) letter and comments: years (notably is one of is, ridden or fears on one's that to paper to put "necessary" by a reader. he prefers Self-censorship business. It wr~ting once one has wrltten, or vendettas hangups to sit back - either guru - and make sure ~d 1S a meeting-point writer stood ~hether ~nte11igent, 1ng of relatives enti th: Wrltes: needs tain effect in irrrnediate ua~ly?) These Wrlter may have demands of or play to say. sections dedicated response require really the work as he has "work out". must tradition re cu1 tura1 ihood that 1 ikel consequently of his work in the are to censor the work at Does he believe of readers _ or agonising the most in fact, invaluable entirely attributes indispensable. of it. clearing oneself of anyone in the Once a work is of personal. in the process, of the help becomes it a trusted illllerat1ve friend or oneself or own or with loves everything one has put on paper is really may have more than merely aesthetic implications. necessary. Every work a for be under-. to a1m: and it would be useless thoughts if they cannot decide how high he is prepared between writer and reader; his most exquisite (He may, of course, ten thousand persons enthusiastic prepared readers to contribute to the writing.) this in. to happen, In other words, contributed And for he works certain readers may be put off that he must make quite sure in it so fervently - or a mere han~ful as ~uch ~o t~e1r H1S ObJect1ve of read- cor- to be aware of he has he must be aware of the and a~tagoni~ed that that 1S prec~s:ly the hOStll1ty by what he what he of cer- can be shrugged process? in the hope of (What does light off? Or wc:uld he jeopardisethe "effect" filtering. through mean? very Is he 1nterested slowly, grad- questions to work out. An~ 1n t~e process himself. stake which this - line In the final decisive: the line are is analys1s does 1t 1S the this novel, indispensable utterly ~he 1ntr1nS1C or poem, it for - 21 or can it do more or less comfortably without it? intricate process At every this step rhyme, a wholly is different imposed from without the Without come into being. rather than that; But sorship the work as such, "State ominous as this but with Security". of self-censorship of this process the way choices character, this from arbitrary no important work o~ art can involved are scene, rathe~ - th1S word th?n - by persons not as vague interested. as something "commun1 ty standards and author1tar1an natur7, in the another. cen- of or as it is not no society from a more or the actual I have outlined my view of the ways in which censorship return less look at as we experience practically sorship including Boccaccio, most stringent surprise, this are integrity stimulus essay. i ndi spensab le such licentious or Rabelais. the other for of necessary To recapitulate in operation. censorship bearing the writer's threatens philosophical function that function. in society, It is and of necessary discussion to a close, if brief, to some of co-existence from day to day. of the writer For and the censor it must be admitted in the modem world where same applies at least to societies And the as ages In fact, systems of, say, those these writers the world Plautus operated ever view offered has in mind the historical briefly: to one another. at - yet the healthy the society Each i nevi same time growth of and the tab ly threatens each the offers other. there in the world that is some form of cen- past, or. the of and Terence, within some of ~he should 1t of Nor beginning ve individual the terri a challenge tori a 1 and a known. at the creati :he operative 1dea to bring response" preted healthy, reassessment weak to.re~p~nd of the r~sult t e rat1o~ale be emphas1sed, can hardly unl ess that uous that word, it back into seems circulation of which that to me, is "challenge", the Toynbean concept And it may be a good and inter- "challenge historian of in.terms if the rl se and fa 11 of ci vil i sati ons . great, the explorations of the writer offer often maligned, Provi ded the a challenge soci a 1 body is leading to constant of values and the possibility effectively. Or, a challenge :nd1v1dual :s not growth and development offer too great but destruction. in other of growth. terms: for should society A sick the to respond body is explorations to, too the is usually however, resorted that to by those who impose the challenae offered by a single individual This, censorship. in effect, It should ever become too awesome for soci ety is already weak or up to public stand they cannot an enti sick; re soci ety un less its examination. to respond values are to - so ten- It is ~~~~=xt: re asonable the opposite relationship that appears more significant power,.the the challen~e creatlVe of SOCiety and its resources as an important of stimulus 1t acts instruments to the the writer. Ilhen this to writers and other artists. in the ingenuity~ challenge present the 1S did not on!y survive not only in spite but of ~. to some extent ~ha~espeare Yl ~s soc1ety, g OrlOUS oroduct ' at' ;rSbe~j1eCeS re~,a hi ~ne re~ ~ry °h' he :a~0;~f1Pt.et~een cess y bar~d him have cont ~bo~sed l1es the wor censorsh" 1~ ~nsibilities ~ theatre rl U e . moreover lP of hi~\~ve 1 d e ld . tr1umphed that over the it t . very SOC1e y. the it: of of because and to compose .. Solzhenitsyn soc1al or authoritarian threat stringent in such a way as of Chekhov succeeded czarist challenge of it was a threat some of represents the yet challenge and eventually the 1mposed censorship the most to become . .. ' t1 ng n1S 1n Wrl but censorship forced him to plays stage and artistic banished. which subtlest another towards - and ~rom publishing 10 the ~act that him into for tum1ng more 1m~ortant .. dlstribution to the wldespread very measures taken a major writer in the the discussl0n of his work in Russia present 1n the in the response: Th~ suc- aga1nst rest R' - USSl ltself, of an 22 in the form of zami shdat. that that Another come so powerful so great becomes porary, and effective for ment of society entire authors for that society. to publish), point may be reached when the paralysis no response on the only it means dries ensures: forces of when, repression in other words, Even if (i.e. an important process, by making it form of mental threatening is possible. public that up in the level this the or oppression be- challenge is only tem- impossible nourish- the vitality as a whole since Plato Ever or even to ignore, the writer cen~or a v1tal organ. community the is it has been the is a luxury, real all function not that mentality And if threatened. too easy for authorities and contribution to underestimate, the writer: of component; the very life an appendix, and growth to the not of an essential prevails this Within general of the South African it is erent irrmediately categories. framework, writer a more specific censorship in his investigation system becomes necessary. of the situation obvious that South African writers find themselves And in diff- any charge poet invited in a maze of lives and produces is performed attention of in the the and soon afterwards for badly, submits The black writer playwright writes man ensnared play the banned outright; wi thout has deteriorated y?ung black ~lde~ and is 1S p1cked to "steer of bad connections". members of PEN and a few prominent results left w~rning w1ll the younger abroad an outcry), passport to join up by the Security clear in another in a shambles; issued: is not a scholarship who has it (which means indefinitely." is turned be detained down three you complain generation, once "If awarded times. that is is swoop on the young he is again danger a play in direct of about life the the whi te man IS 1aws ; black authorities. townships But and liberty. "confusion" for A young the black black of some time, whil e the it it escapes is and detained basis, is pUblished arrested only after from outside his on a fly-by-night author the moment the it is and released enquiries months; in urgent several resulting some of his work to the PEN in Johannesubrg. interrogated Police, He related lodge writers enterprising magazine 1l1J1lediately afterwards and insulted, the experience an official is protest. "searched" and warned to other it house: poet's insulted to your white and humiliated, A third already quite friends black writer, attracted so easy a measure to detain U S - but his about a leading this, voice of attention him without application to the from evoking for a This and and a final ~ou 1n health Another Staff- he can breathe much more easily. dissenting writers, Afrikaans for But a special ~e~aus~ of of power pol1t1cs 1n the reasons white writers to be reserved they pose the Sixties the the "a member of first for threat seems During criticism regarded once because as the For obvious category of the country. scope sumably was passed, easy, and predictable. cess: the a~ Afrikaner w1th a prodigal and publications write~'s and h1S work is banned; writer or are credibility. first reaction to the monolithic the Afrikaans structure writer of government was reaime than rel uctant his English the family". novel clearly Afrikaans Certain appeared speak1ng to crack But once d certain the openly had been banned, marked stages characterise pre- to be allowed more colleague, down on what point consequence had been was the pro- and particularly concern organs from the signs authorities, when a white and dissent, is pate~a: shows recalcitrant used He is of protest if this son; to chastise berate termed in addition a~ "outcast" he is denied does not help, and hopefully off1c1al destroy and "an enel'1Y of access to government-con- the the people"; 23 trolled media like radio and TV. find this in South Africa ll1Ystique characteristic Many writers strong of is one compensation the tend to retain in the younger generati however, support on. a painful and have, also experience, in the of, as group ties of histor~, cours~ since writers and sympathy say, Russlan "cast and A~nca~ out" of a considerably ~articularly are acqu1~ed.the soc1et1es. form There 1n th1S mann~r nowadays notably readersh1p, this is But the constant indefatigable the ransacking was "trying gation, stage, are extensions longs .) various the only an early stage of one's mail, by the Security ll1Yhouse, detention in the the Police. at really interception scrutiny of to slllJggle copies of my own book out forms of subtle of my and overt typewriters. confiscation the of an airport of intimidation, all (pnd In my case this to establish the country", and even, actions, these same process and system to which censorship and included I has whether interro- at one I also repeat, be- process: tapping what of one's follows, telephone includes should be added that, It playwrights volved, theatre in South Africa Performing Arts Councils vulnerable more and more towards ~r ~n 1~d1gen~uS theatre 1S a1med d1rectly tinely. '~sa!,e" classics. position. certainly where overt even harder are hit is almost wholly in the provinces than subsidised find emphasis or "sillllle" other writers. censorship is in- Professional by the State; and the thePlSel ves in our in an extremely shifti~g theatre moneyspinning is mus1cals As a resul "imported" In less has almost at performance' than the t, productions two decades ground to a halt: a novel can still of either a very promising playwriting, be circulated renaissance after all, clandes- ' one of the This may take important the options form of writers tamishdat, have started or publi- is precisely very seriously. ~sulting abro?d Clan~est~nity con~lder1ng cat10n groun~ pub~lcat1on, pracbce extreme and. although wnters opt1on. prove or w1de~y adopted remed1e~ to be resorted they are understandably a COurse of no return. have reached in clandestine in various in the black importation; or of forms of oral townships. distribution But obviously to only in the most they to commit a stage where reluctant extreme considering are themsel ves is zam1shdat, which under- a are ci rcumstances, the these to what may was marked by the publication of my Oroe wit ebb?n on Kennis the novel on the basis halfway (19?9). publ1sher station After solely by the A ~ertain ~~lsoen l.r~can ~~ ed~ecretlY ~ ~~ y . e pu 11C to. defray le1s~en b~: tin:e ~e ture was w~~el an we~ .enJo:(lng even i R what a~pe USS1t; b and may have been one of October l~;~.e a change of direction aand expenses to subscribers cen~ors act~ve enterprising van die legal s~~~us ~nd ~y the were d1Spe.tched 1n pract1cally PUbl1c1sed Taurus . {j had been turned of a fear down by my regular censorship of in Johannesb~rg. South it was pub- founded group (1978) with in that trial. who had bought first pounced clandestine circul the all the countries contributing in South African Some 2 000 previous the R6 OOO-odd contributed of copies publications had Thi s ven- two editions ation. in the West factors censorship (and towards since In conclusion direction scene. b . r1efly ,\~ 1C c01ncided with ld l'k h' h I sh 1 e o~ to consider the disappearance this of ostensible r4r Snyman from the change of The first indication of a Possible "rethinking" of the Mulder system of 24 the "unbanning" three months that it the of that Representative declsion the without trial" which of earlier, at least should novel of of contains from the the State, was hardly of even possession was censorship branded, security that more remarkable the Soweto Students ion. follows record own Rumours of Rain Bram Fischer's banned and possession may indicate and bewildering (This "detention a change forms declaration the What made this Burqer's daughter, so insidious as one Jrember of a novel which had been and so dangerous to the felt banning committee unbanning of of a pamphlet banned from possess- full text remains be prohibited. contains the Council which the Appeal Board, six months, long dock - a document which also Decisions in May 1979, to allow distribution passages offence. quoted verbatim from remains like after a of my these of which for the of confusion is better, a punishable but at and an utter the same time lack of logic introduces new and consistency heels the of my Dry white of so dangerous, that as country also Hard on the banning gar