PREMIER MISSES DEADLINE ON TRANSCRIPTS
KZNPremier Willies Mchunu has missed the deadline for responding to our Promotion of Access to Information Act request for transcripts of the Moerane Commission of Inquiry into the political killings in KZN.
R2K cannot stress enough the importance of transparency and responsiveness from government. These are the norms upon which our democracy is built. They give meaning and shape and to our democracy.
This request relates to public testimony, including the testimony of political leaders and public bodies such as the South African Police Service whose conduct before the Commission is of great public interest. These transcripts should have been made available proactively as the Commission sat.
However, R2K notes with frustration that the KZN Premier’s office has delayed its response to our request and has granted itself an extension to 27 November 2018 to respond to the request. R2K submitted the PAIA request for the transcripts on 16 August 2018. It has been roughly 75 days since that request was filed. R2K acknowledges that, in the case of in-camera testimony, the task of redacting witness names is both sensitive and time-consuming, we however are not satisfied with the level of engagement and responsiveness of the Premier’s office. We’ve had to remind the Premier’s office of our request after the timeframes allowed in PAIA were missed by his office. If the Premier’s office considered this task important there would have been proactive engagement from their side, by informing us beforehand that they will miss the deadline.
Although the Premier’s office has confirmed that our PAIA request has been granted – we remain disappointed that they are delaying the release.
We invite supporters to join the call for transparency, and support the petition calling for the transcripts’ release:
https://awethu.amandla.mobi/petitions/publish-the-moerane-commission-report-and-hearing-transcripts
We urge the Premier of Kwazulu Natal to take this matter seriously! Release the Moerane Transcripts NOW!
For more information contact: Mluleki Marongo 078 105 8802
Note to media: Please attribute contents of this statement to the Right2Know not to any individuals within R2K unless you contact a spokesperson for specific comments
