Secrecy Bill Passed
The National Assembly voted 189-74 to pass the Protection of Information (‘Secrecy’) Bill yesterday, leaving only President Jacob Zuma to sign it into law.
The Bill which will revise the classification of state information, has been widely criticised by opposition parties as well as media practitioners for the limited protection it offers to whistle-blowers.
Amendments to the Bill were referred to the National Assembly by the national Council of Provinces last year in an attempt to revise what has been termed “draconian prison sentences”, as well as the ability of the state to prosecute whistle-blowers without having allowed adequate public consultation.
In a statement on Wednesday The Right2Know campaign said, “The Bill promotes a concept of national security that is still broadly defined and open to abuse, which will risk over-classification by state and private bodies.”
Several organisations including the Right2Know campaign and the South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) have vowed to take the case to the Constitutional Court.
“We have already seen how a process of public engagement has improved the Bill,” stated a press release from Sanef on Wedensday.
“A full review by the highest court in the land would significantly advance that process, and help to ensure that remaining concerns about its constitutionality are fully addressed.”
The Right2Know Campaign picketed outside Luthuli House in Johannesburg from 1pm to 4pm yesterday and observed a silent vigil in Parliament from 1.30pm.
Moments after the bill was passed Nic Dawes, editor of the Mail and Guardian and Sanef chairperson tweeted: “There we go. Bill adopted… As Ben Turok said, the parly process made progress, but is exhausted. Off to court.”
This article was written by Hancu Louw and appeared on The Grocott’s Mail Online on 25 April 2013.
