PRINTED PUBLICATIONS ACT (CHAPTER 25:14)

 

CHAPTER 25:14

PRINTED PUBLICATIONS ACT

Acts 12/1975, 37/1977 (s. 26), 11/1985; 22/2001 (s. 4); R.G.N 1135/1975.

AN ACT to consolidate and amend the law relating to the printing and publication of books, newspapers, periodicals and other printed publications and the preservation of books, newspapers, periodicals and other printed publications published in Zimbabwe.

[Date of commencement: 14th March, 1975.]

1    Short title

This Act may be cited as the Printed Publications Act [Chapter 25:14].

                       2    Interpretation

• In this Act—

“book” includes—

• a newspaper, periodical or other printed publication published at regular or irregular intervals; and
• every part or division of a book, pamphlet, sheet of printing, map, plan, chart or table separately published;

“Minister” means the Minister of Home Affairs or any other Minister to whom the President may, from time to time, assign the administration of this Act.

• Expressions referring to printing shall in this Act be construed as including references to any other means of representing or reproducing words or figures in visible form.

                       3    Act not to extend to parliamentary papers

Nothing in this Act contained shall extend to or be construed as extending to any report, minutes or other book or paper printed or published by the order or under the authority of Parliament for the use of Parliament.

                       4     Particulars to be set out in books printed or published in Zimbabwe

(1) Each book printed or published in Zimbabwe shall bear an imprint legibly setting out—

• the full and correct name of the printer concerned and the place where such book was printed; and
• the full and correct name of the publisher concerned and his place of business; and (c) the year of publication of such book.

(2) A person who knowingly— (a) prints or publishes; or

(b) causes to be printed or published; a book which does not bear an imprint referred to in subsection (1) shall, subject to subsection (3), be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level four or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.

[Subsection as amended by section 4 of Act No. 22 of 2001]

(3) The Minister may—

• by statutory instrument exempt from the requirements of subsection (1) such classes of books used for the purposes of— (i) the State; or
  • courts of law; or
  • statutory bodies established by or under any law or an Order in Council made in pursuance of the Rhodesia and Nyasaland Act, 1963, of the United Kingdom; or
  • trade or business, as may be specified in such notice; or
• subject to such conditions as he may impose and upon the application in writing of the printer or publisher of a particular book, exempt from the requirements of subsection (1) all or any of the copies of such book.

                       5     Delivery of books published in Zimbabwe to certain libraries

(1) Subject to this section, the publisher of each book published in Zimbabwe shall, within a period of thirty days from the date of publication of such book, donate and deliver free of charge a copy of such book to—

• the Director of National Archives appointed in terms of section 3 of the National Archives of Zimbabwe Act [Chapter 25:06]; and
• the Director of the National Library and Documentation Service referred to in section 6 of the National Library and Documentation Service Act [Chapter 25:10]; and
• the authority having control of the Public Library, Bulawayo.

(2) Each of the persons referred to in paragraphs (a) and (c) of subsection (1) shall—

• give a receipt in writing for each copy of a book delivered to him or to it, as the case may be, in terms of that subsection; and
• unless the Minister otherwise directs, preserve the copy referred to in paragraph (a) in a safe place.