Paranoia and secrecy in local govt

Right2Know Statement:

It has been brought to the Right2Know campaign’s attention that members of a legislature task team have been told to sign a non-disclosure agreement relating to their investigation of alleged misuse of public funds.

The agreement, which is made out in terms of the apartheid-era Protection of Information Act of 1982, seeks to intimidate whistleblowers and keep vital information out of the public eye.

It states that the signatory would be guilty of an offence for revealing any information relating to “the security and other interests of the Republic.” The contract also states that this provision would be binding after the task team had finished its work. (Under the apartheid-era secrecy Act, which is still on South Africa’s statute books, the penalty would be imprisonment for up to 10 years or a fine of up to R10,000.)

The Right2Know campaign recognises this as a symptom of the existing culture of secrecy in local government. It is a clear attempt to use bullying tactics to silence members of the Northern Cape legislature from disclosing the findings of the task team. We strongly condemn any attempt to hide possible misuse of state funds from the public, and reject any attempt to prevent whistleblowers from speaking out through intimidation and obfuscation. The suggestion that the use and misuse of public funds is a national security matter clearly demonstrates how secrecy legislation invites abuses to cover corruption. We call on the leaders of every level of government in every province to show their commitment to the principles of open democracy and to the people of South Africa: reject secrecy in your administration!

For comment please contact:

Murray Hunter (National coordinator): 072 672 5468

Hennie van Vuuren (R2K Western Cape): 082 902 1303

Dale McKinley (R2K Gauteng): 072 429 4086

Quinton Kippen (R2K KwaZulu-Natal): 083 871 7549

Background to the Northern Cape task team

•    In November 2010 the Northern Cape provincial legislature bought a Mercedes Benz registered in the name of the ANC provincial secretary.

•    In March 2011 a case was opened by the Kimberley police.

•    In June 2011 a provincial legislature task team to investigate the procurement of the vehicle in a series of closed meetings.

•    On 30 June 2011 the leader of the opposition in Northern Cape, COPE rep Fred Wyngaard, announced that he had been told to sign the non-disclosure agreement as a member of the task team.

Sources:

1.    ‘Row over Saul’s wheels’, Kimberley Advertiser, 14 March 2011.

2.    ‘Doors still closed on car probe’, Kimberley Advertiser, 14 June 2011

3.    ‘How the NC Legislature bought the ANC a benz (and how they’re trying to hide it)’, COPE media statement, 30 June 2011