part of the government's attempt to suppress the unrest was a draconian ban on the press publishing news relating to the rising tide of resistance. the new editor refused to be cowed by this curtailment of press freedom and the paper continued to report on the particularly troubled situation in pietermaritzburg, which from 1987 onwards was plunged into violence that verged on civil war. in fact steyn's last year as editor coincided with the so-called seven days war of 1990, which caused great destruction, loss of life and dislocation in the edendale valley just outside pietermaritzburg. as a result of its courageous stand, the paper was regularly in trouble with the authorities.