Ministry defends Info Bill
The following article was published by Eyewitness News about a public debate featuring R2K’s Hennie van Vuuren and the Ministry of State Security’s Dennis Dlomo among others.
The State Security Ministry on Monday said government is not trying to hide corruption by pushing for the Protection of Information Bill.
Speaking to Redi Tlhabi on Talk Radio 702’s Round Table, the ministry’s Dennis Dlomo said the ministry was trying to ensure that information does not fall into the wrong hands.
He said the fact that some people were officially declared married to people they have never met was proof that South Africa needs to protect its information properly.
Earlier, Mail & Guardian Editor Nic Dawes said if the bill was passed in its current form, certain stories could not be published.
“We have recently heard about spying on the staff of the Sunday Times and the Sunday Independent. Those stories would have fallen under the provisions of state security matters and would have been prohibited,” he said.
Dawes said South Africa’s satellite launch in Russia would also fall under that category.
Civil society organisations also took part in the debate.
At the same time, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) said the proposed bill would have made it impossible for the organisation to get hold of government documents proving that it would have been economically viable for the state to provide anti-retroviral drugs.
The TAC’s Nokwezi Ooboi said the bill would have made life harder for her organisation.
“It would, for example, have prohibited us from leaking or publishing state documents that were proving that anti-retroviral treatment was affordable,” said Ooboi.
But Dlomo said just because information could be classified, it does not mean organisations cannot gain access to it.
“It means that you must follow due process to get access to that information. Ask that the information be declassified,” said Dlomo.
He also said people will not be prosecuted if a court finds the classified information they published related to criminal behaviour.
Source: Eyewitness News
