The Publications & Entertainments Act No 26 of 1963 "created a central body, the Publications Control Board, to decide on the compatibility of publications (excluding newspapers), objects, films, and public entertainments with certain standards of indecency and obscenity... A right of appeal did, however, lie from a decision of this Board to the Supreme Court, except in the case of films where there was an appeal only to the Minister of the Interior".

The Publications Act, 1974 (Act No 42 of 1974) came into operation on 1 April 1975 and replaced and repealed the Publications Entertainment Act, 1963.