Prof Kobus van Rooyen, Chairperson of the Task Group on Publications and Films Control, stated that about 450 submissions had been received on the draft Film and Publication Bill. Of these, he classified 15 to 20 as "constructive", highly commending the FXI's submission. He said that because of the calibre of the FXI report, he had dealt with "90 percent of the points raised in it".
He will be sending the submission - in particular the section on appointment procedures - directly to the Parliamentary Standing Committee dealing with the bill. The FXI also pointed out in its submission that the test as to whether a film or publication fell within the Schedules of the bill was based on subjective criteria as it turns on whether the classification committee is "of the opinion" that it is certain material needs to be classified and hence restricted. Prof van Rooyen removed the words "of the opinion" from the bill as a direct result of our submission. This, he said, was "a substantial contribution" that the FXI had made.
Most of the submissions made to the Task Group concerned the provisions on pornography, and almost all of them wanted harsher measures to be taken against porninlcuding those from religions groups that surprisingly did not highlight the section on religious hatred as a problem.
The report drawn up by the Task Group and the amended bill will be sent first to the Minister of Home Affairs, who will then refer it to the Cabinet and from there it will go to the Parliamentary Standing Committee. Prof van Rooyen said that he hoped legislation would be passed this year. He felt that the consultation which the Task Group had undertaken was very valuable and that the process had been thorough with over 1600 submissions made initially and then roughly 450 made on the bill itself. In addition, the Task Group had visited Canada, India, Egypt and the USA to learn from their experience in the field