About a hundred people from the Right 2 Know (R2K) campaign marched in Durban on Saturday against the Protection of State Information Bill.
The marchers were in high spirits as they sang songs calling for the secrecy Bill to be aborted.
“Keep the press free,” a placard read.
Members of R2K marched from King Dinuzulu Street to hand over a memorandum at Durban City Hall.
The Bill was withdrawn from the parliamentary programme, the African National Congress (ANC) said in September.
ANC Chief Whip Mathole Motshekga said at the time that the legislation had been withdrawn for “further consideration” and that “it is not a question of putting it on ice … there may be a delay.”
He would not confirm news reports that the Bill would be withdrawn as a result of a decision taken at an ANC’s national executive committee meeting.
An official announcement would be made later in Parliament.
He said it was a “difficult bill” and that the media and the South African National Editors Forum were exaggerating it by calling it a media bill.
It was actually a security Bill, said the party’s secretary-general, Gwede Mantashe.
Danger to democracy
A member from the Umbilo Action Group said the Bill posed a danger to our democracy.
“Our country is plagued with corruption and nepotism. If the Bill is passed, it will be difficult to demand accountability and transparency,” said Vanessa Burger.
R2K member Andrew Kerr said access to information was paramount in order to root out corruption.
“If the government tries to suppress information it will be a bad thing for everyone except the few people who benefit from corruption,” he said.
Marchers handed over a memorandum to a representative from the eThekwini municipality.
The document calls for a responsive and accountable democracy.
According to the memorandum, the Bill threatens the Constitution.
“It is one of a number of proposed measures which undermine the right of access to information and freedom of expression as well as compromising the protection of whistleblowers,” the memorandum stated. — Sapa
The passing of the Protection of State Information Bill came as no surprise, raising the threat to media freedom. View our special report.
