Suppression of Communism Act, 1950

Suppression of Communism Act, 1950
Parliament of South Africa
Long title Act to declare the Communist Party of South Africa to be an unlawful organization; to make provision for declaring other organizations promoting communistic activities to be unlawful and for prohibiting certain periodical or other publications; to prohibit certain communistic activities; and to make provision for other incidental matters.
Citation	Act No. 44 of 1950
Territorial extent	South Africa, South West Africa
Enacted by	Parliament of South Africa
Assented to	26 June 1950
Commenced	17 July 1950
Repealed	2 July 1982
Administered by	Minister of Justice
Repealed by
Internal Security Act, 1982
Keywords
Anti-communism, political repression, exile, censorship
Status: Repealed

The Suppression of Communism Act, 1950 (Act No. 44 of 1950), renamed the Internal Security Act in 1976, was legislation of the national government in apartheid South Africa which formally banned the Communist Party of South Africa and proscribed any party or group subscribing to communism, according to a uniquely broad definition of the term. It was also used as the basis to place individuals under banning orders, and its practical effect was to isolate and silence voices of dissent.