Inxeba X18 rating is nothing short of censorship

14 February 2018

The DA strongly condemns the Film and Publication Board (FPB) Appeal Tribunal’s decision re-classify the film Inxeba to a rating of X18.

X18 is one of the most severe ratings a film or publication can receive, one step away from an outright ban.

The X18 rating means that the film can only be “distributed from designated adult premises” and “cannot be screened in cinemas or any other platform that is not a designated adult premise as defined by the Film and Publications Act no 96 of 1996”.

This means that the film will have to be pulled from cinemas and only allowed to be shown at stores with licenses to distribute pornographic material.

We encourage the producers of Inxeba to fight, fight, fight, all the way to the highest court in the land by urgently taking this decision on review.

It is a shame that the FPB’s Appeal Tribunal buckled to pressure from patriarchs and homophobes, instead of siding with the Constitution, the supreme law of the land.

Section 16 of our Constitution’s Bill of Rights expresses everyone’s right to freedom of expression, this includes the freedom to receive or impart information or ideas as well as freedom of artistic creativity.

This decision by the FPB is not in the best interest of the public, but rather an attempt to preserve patriarchal ideas of masculinity and tradition.

Inxeba challenges outdated ideas pertaining to manhood, homosexuality, initiation and cultural practices. The producers of this film have been brave in bringing this film to life and we have the responsibility to protect their Constitutional and artistic freedoms.

The DA stands with the producers of Inxeba and encourage them to stand firm against this blatant attempt by patriarchs to silence them.

Issued by Phumzile Van Damme, DA Shadow Minister of Communications, 14 February 2018