R2K calls for Ministers to democratise communications and rollback securitisation at Home Affairs!
The Right2Know Campaign welcomes the merging of the Department of Communications and the Department of Telecommunications, reversing the disastrous decision to split these functions apart four years ago. We likewise note the appointment of Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams as the Minister of the newly merged Department.
We are encouraged by the appointment of Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams as the Minister of Communications, Telecommunications and Postal Services. She is the eighth minister for communications in eight years. Having served as deputy minister both in the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Service and in the Department of Communications, we hope she brings a wealth of transferable knowledge and experience. In this regard, we trust that she will hit the ground running in addressing some of the major issues faced by the Department, including amongst others, the SABC financial crisis.
Ndabeni-Abrahams’ experience also raises concerns – she appears to be implicated in the past decades of misgovernance of the communication system so it can meet the information and expression needs of all South Africans – especially the poor, rural and non-english speakers. She must take urgent steps to transform the Department. In the new era of a digital communications ecosystem, we will expect Ndabeni-Abrahams to take bold steps to ensure that data costs are cut, and expedite access to free, fast internet fibre for all, particularly the poor and marginalised South Africans. The Minister must ensure a decentralised, less privatised telecommunications sector and a democratic-focused Department that is led by consultative processes on policy that will support and include the poor, working class and rural communities. The new Minister must also intervene on issues of sexual harassment in the public broadcasting sector.
Most importantly, she must also act to ensure the legacy of State Capture that thrived in the Communications department under Minister Faith Muthambi, when she was deputy Minister, is eradicated.
Undoing securitisation of Home Affairs
At the same time, we note the appointment of Siyabonga Cwele to the crucial position of Home Affairs Minister
We saw some welcome gains on lowering cost of communications during Dr Cwele’s tenure as Minister of Telecommunication, but we cannot forget his previous role as Minister of State Security when he championed the failed Secrecy Bill and presided over serious abuses by state-security structure.
This is concerning given the serious trend towards ‘securitisation’ of Home Affairs, shifting towards state security concerns instead of service delivery and inclusion of the people. Examples of this are the Border Management Authority Bill and the reckless rollout of invasive collection of people’s biometric information and invasive monitoring of the population.
The people of South Africa must monitor the next phase of Home Affairs closely and ensure that Minister Cwele undoes this securitisation of Home Affairs.
We are committed to engaging with both Ministries to ensure that they work to advance the right to know.
For more information contact:
Lazola Kati, R2K Communication’s Organiser: 072 956 7753
Murray Hunter, R2K Secrecy & Securitisation Organiser: 072 672 5468
