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Hustler urges porn research
15/11/2005 23:30 - (SA)
Cape Town - The government should fund "serious research" into the pornography industry before changing the Film and Publications Act in favour of anti-pornography activists, said Hustler magazine managing director Joe Theron on Tuesday.
"The government must put some proper money aside and do some proper research - not just thumb-suck - before we make decisions that affect our democracy and economy," he told a parliamentary home affairs committee hearing into the "scourge of pornography in the country".
Pornography was legalised in South Africa under the new constitution in 1994.
The African Christian Democratic Party has called for all pornography to be banned.
"If pornography is the theory, then rape is the practise," said spokesperson Paul Swart
An international study showed that most paedophiles were members of the church and education departments - not the porn industry, Theron told the committee.
Film board chief agrees
"Rape is not an act of passion, it's an act of violence done by somebody not of sound mind," he said.
The Film and Publications Board's (FPB) chief executive officer, Shokie Bopape-Dlomo, agreed: "We need more comprehensive research into the effects of pornography on the South African society in particular."
While pornography had proved to be addictive and often involved the sexual exploitation of women, it was a money-spinner contributing 60% of the FPB's regulatory fees, creating jobs and contributing to South Africa's overall economy, she said.
There was a continuous struggle between maintaining freedom of expression and the protection of children, she added.
Presentations on the use and regulation of pornography in South Africa were also made at the hearing by cellphone service providers and the SABC.
While regulatory measures could be implemented to prevent children getting access to pornographic material, parents had the biggest role to play, they all told the committee.
"The highest standard of regulation we can put in place is a higher standard of morality," said Cell C managing director Mafahle Mareletse.
Although cellphone service providers had tried to control the distribution of pornography through their networks, they said this was difficult to regulate because of legislation outlawing the interception of calls or data transmission.
Uncontrolled aspect 'worrying'
They had jointly signed a code of conduct with the Wireless Application Service Providers Association discouraging the distribution of unsuitable material to children, they told the committee.
Often labelled as being anti-pornography, committee chairman Patrick Chauke said he was against only the uncontrolled aspect of pornography - which he acknowledged to be a big contributor to the local economy.
More needed to be done with regard to pornographic distribution on cellphones and he would be calling service providers back for further consultation next year, he said.
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