Statement: Shadow of the Secrecy Bill – no to SSA censorship threats!

Shadow of the Secrecy Bill – no to SSA censorship threats!

R2K rejects the State Security Agency’s desperate threats against the publishers of The President’s Keepers, written by veteran investigative journalist Jacques Pauw.

Today NB Publishers revealed a cease-and-desist letter from the SSA, demanding they withdraw the book under threat of criminal charges. The SSA’s letter alleges that the book “contains parts that are in contravention of the Intelligence Service Act, Act 65 of 2002”.

We note that SARS also intends to take legal action against the book, which alleges among other things that President Jacob Zuma has evaded paying taxes. Rather than acting on the allegations, SARS is threatening those who brought the allegations to light.

These are crude acts of censorship, aimed to intimidate investigative journalists and protect the corrupt and powerful.

This is why South Africa fought the Secrecy Bill and why we will continue to fight censorship from the securocrats.

Ongazi makazi!