Anti-info bill campaigners gear up for protest

the following article was published online by the Eyewitness News

Civil society organisations claim they are gearing up for a massive protest against the ‘secrecy bill’.

MPs will vote on the finalised version of the protection of information bill on Monday after a clause by clause vote on Friday.

Opposition parties say the bill has improved dramatically, but the fact that the ANC used its majority to shoot down a motion for a public interest defence will result in them rejecting the bill.

The Right 2 Know campaign’s Nkwame Cedile said they are mobilising support to show Parliament the extent of civil society’s rejection of the bill.

“We will call on our members and our partners to make sure that on 17 September we come out in big numbers and show our rejection,” he said.

Nkwame said he does not believe it is only journalists that will be hampered from publishing secrets, but that ordinary South Africans’ attempts at gaining information will also be thwarted.

Source Eyewitness News