Malusi Gigaba, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs has approached the South African Law Reform Commission in an attempt to completely ban all digitally distributed pornographic material. Has has also talked to the Justice Alliance for South Africa (JASA) to help him form the bill. JASA had already written a similar draft bill on the issue.
Gigaba said, "Cars are already provided with brakes and seatbelts... There is no reason why the internet should be provided without the necessary restrictive mechanisms built into it."
JASA wants the ban to cover TV, mobile phones, and the Internet. They say the Internet service providers could implement filters to prevent access to the content much like the filters in China and Australia. Others aren't so sure of Mr. Gigaba's plan, Graham Cluley, a security expert at Sophos told BBC News, "One wonders how on earth a democracy like South Africa would be able to introduce such a system, as it's not as though the state has 100% control over telecommunications. Although their intentions may be honourable, it's barking mad to think you will be able to completely outlaw pornography from the web which, is after all, the modern equivalent of the wild west."
Pornography has been a hot topic in the South African government ever since television channel ETV started broadcasting adult material after midnight in 2002. A satellite provider pulled their bid to offer pornographic channels in the area after complaints.
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