ANC blinks on Secrecy Bill

The following article was published in Times Live

The ANC continued to give ground on Friday on its controversial secrecy bill, agreeing to discuss the inclusion of an appeal body headed by a retired judge.

While the ANC appeared to be softening its stance slightly on the Protection of Information Bill, however, government spokesman Jimmy Manyi presented a new plan which could give the executive financial leverage over the country’s mainstream media.

Cecil Burgess, the ANC chairman of the ad hoc committee processing the bill, said he had approval in principle from parliament to extend the life of the committee into the third term, which begins late in July.

This would remove the initial June 23 deadline for the adoption of a final draft of the bill, which seeks to set rules for the classification of state information and to criminalise whistle-blowing.

The mood at Friday’s meeting was noticeably lighter than it was three weeks ago, when the ANC began to use its majority to override opposition concerns.

“It is clear that the growing political and public pressure against the bill has put its drivers on the back foot,” said Murray Hunter of the Right2Know campaign.

DA and ACDP delegates said the proposal for a review panel and a separate appeal body were a step in the right direction.

By BRENDAN BOYLE

Source: Times Live