Pornographers, prudes and politics: A history of the 1996 film and publication act and the dawn of liberty

Abstract

An excess of explicit pornographic videos, raunchy underwear, an assortment of sex toys and kinky leather accessories are just some of the merchandise one can buy at the porn shop in Cape Town's historic Plein Street. With its blackened windows and tacky nameplate to boot, it is a scene familiar to most South African urbanites. The only difference is that this particular porn shop is situated directly opposite Parliament.1 In August 2004, the issue turned into a parliamentary debate during which all political parties were in agreement - the porn shop blemished the dignity of Parliament and had to go. The portfolio committee for Home Affairs promptly pledged to  consult with the Mayor of Cape Town, the Western Cape provincial government and all departments of the local government in order to find technical loopholes in the municipal regulations that could be used to force the porn shop to move away from the seat of the country's legislature.2 This is the most recent example of the resurgence of the issue of pornography and censorship, which has become a near permanent fixture of the contemporary history of South Africa.