NCOP must open the Secrecy Bill up to community voices!

The Right2Know campaign welcomes announcements from Cosatu and opposition parties that they are exploring legal action to oppose the Protection of State Information Bill (the Secrecy Bill) should it be passed into law in its current form. As a coalition of civil society organisations and community groups opposed to the current provisions of the Bill, the Right2Know campaign is also preparing for a possible legal challenge to the Bill should it be passed without amending provisions that we believe are unconstitutional. However, legal action should be treated as a last resort – the people of South Africa should not have to turn to the courts to do Parliament’s job.

We therefore also welcome the announcement that Parliament’s National Council of Provinces (NCOP) has established a committee to consider amendments to the Secrecy Bill. We will campaign to ensure that the NCOP’s committee engages in thorough and meaningful public consultation on the Bill. Communities’ voices have not been heard, nor have their concerns been addressed, on how the Secrecy Bill undermines their right to access information. This Bill does not only affect the media: by shutting off powerful institutions from public scrutiny, it is an attack on everyone’s right to know.

This has been the basis of the Right2Know campaign’s community mobilisation throughout the country. That members of the ANC caucus could not vote for the Protection of State Information Bill in the National Assembly on Tuesday suggests that even within its own ranks the party has not consulted meaningfully. The ANC’s hastily organised and non-participatory road show, announced last Friday evening mere days before voting was scheduled to happen, has shown a callous disregard for the principles of public participation.

If the Parliamentary elite fails to fulfil its commitment to protect and advance our rights, the Right2Know Campaign will continue to challenge the Secrecy Bill up to the Constitutional Court. We will continue to fight for access to information in every corner of the country – until the right to know is won!

For comment please contact:

National coordinator Murray Hunter: murray@r2k.org.za or 072 672 5468
R2K Gauteng Dale McKinley: drdalet@metroweb.co.za or 072 429 4086
R2K Western Cape
 Nkwame Cedile: nkwame.cedile@gmail.com or 078 227 6008
R2K KZN Desmond D’Sa: sdcea3@mail.ngo.za or 083 982 6939
R2K Eastern Cape Ayanda Kota: ayandakota@webmail.co.za or 078 625 6462

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