The Right2Know campaign welcomes the announcement that the ANC Parliamentary caucus intends to extend the deadline on the Protection of Information Bill to 23 September 2011. It is clear that mounting public pressure has forced those behind the Bill to revise their position.
If the South African Parliament pushes through the highly controversial Protection of Information Bill, the negative fallout in the region could be immense, said CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation today.
Tuesday 7 June, 2011 - 18:33
The Right2Know Campaign (R2K) is a nation-wide coalition of people and organisations opposed to the Protection of Information Bill - also known as the Secrecy Bill - currently before the South African parliament. The Bill will threaten hard-won constitutional rights including access to information and freedom of expression.
R2K believes a responsive and accountable democracy able to meet the basic needs of our people is built on transparency and the free flow of information.
Tuesday 7 June, 2011 - 10:39
The Right2Know Campaign (R2K) is a nation-wide coalition of people and organisations opposed to the Protection of Information Bill - also known as the Secrecy Bill - currently before the South African parliament. The Bill will threaten hard-won constitutional rights including access to information and freedom of expression.
Monday 6 June, 2011 - 9:18
The Right2Know Campaign (R2K) is a nation-wide coalition of people and organisations opposed to the Protection of Information Bill – also known as the Secrecy Bill – currently before the South African parliament. The Bill will threaten hard-won constitutional rights including access to information and freedom of expression. R2K believes a responsive and accountable democracy able to meet the basic needs of our people is built on transparency and the free flow of information. The R2K campaign statement – “Let the truth be told.
Thursday 17 February, 2011 - 14:31
The South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) has objected to a call from MPs to have their profession legally defined in order for members to be exempted from the provisions of the Protection of Personal Information Bill on the grounds that this will require registration of the media.
SANEF’s Raymond Louw argues that registering journalists opened members of the profession to the threat of being deregistered, possibly for political reasons by a censorious government.
Thursday 10 February, 2011 - 15:54
South African editors are still opposing the African National Congress’ (ANC) proposed media appeals tribunal, the Protection of Information Bill and the Secrecy Act, which are currently before parliament.
Noseweek editor, Martin Welz, is of the view that there has been some informed public reaction, adding that the hesitancy of the government to establish a media appeals tribunal is a result of ‘foreign pressure’.
Friday 28 January, 2011 - 12:05
The Institute for Democracy (Idasa) has taken a crack at the job the state law adviser said was too big for his office, counting 1001 ‘organs of state’ that will be affected by the Protection of Information Bill.
Idasa head of political information and monitoring service, Judith February, says in a letter to the chairman of the ad hoc committee considering the draft bill, Cecil Burgess, that parliament should know the scope of legislation it supports.
Wednesday 24 November, 2010 - 17:46
The Right2Know campaign will host a discussion on 26 November 2010 in Cape Town on the Protection of Information Bill (the Secrecy Bill), which is sitting before Parliament. The Bill has been widely criticised for being unconstitutional and for threatening to create a ‘society of secrets’ in South Africa.
The theme of the event is "What will the Secrecy Bill mean for community media?"
Sithembile Mbete from IDASA will report back on the progress of the Bill in parliament and outline what still needs to be accomplished.
Monday 15 November, 2010 - 10:27
Parliament has run out of time to approve the controversial ‘secrecy bill’ this year and work will continue in the special ad hoc committee for the rest of this month.
Chairperson of the ad hoc committee for the Protection of Information Bill, Cecil Burgess, points out that even if the committee was to agree on changes to the Bill, the timeframes of getting it before the National Assembly before Parliament rises next had expired.
His words come against expressed fears that the bill will be rammed through during this session of Parliament.
