R2K Queries Bussing People To Meetings

It has come to the R2K’s attention that Parliament may have provided funds for transport to the recent NCOP provincial hearings on the Protection of State Information Bill.

As it was never publicly announced by the committee that transport would be made available to public hearings, and to our knowledge neither was there any announcement by any relevant municipality, we have written to the committee chairperson on 29 February and 8 March seeking clarity on how much was spent on transport, how many people were transported and — since no public announcement appears to have been made — exactly what criteria was used to choose who would be transported.

It is vital to the credibility of the much-contested provincial hearings that the public be given full details on the issues raised. We have now written to the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Hon MJ Mahlangu, seeking a comprehensive response.

See correspondence below:

12 March 2012

To: Honorable M J Mahlangu
Chairperson, National Council of Province
Parliament of South Africa

CC: Hon Tau, Hon Sisulu

Dear Sir,

I wish to inform you that the Right2Know campaign has since 29 February 2012 been seeking information on funds provided by the NCOP to transport people to provincial hearings on the Protection of State Information Bill. (See attached my letters to Hon. Tau, chairperson of the relevant ad hoc committee, dated 29 February 2012 and 9 March 2012.)

It was recently brought to our attention that Parliament provided funds for transport to the provincial hearings on the Protection of State Information. As it was never stipulated in the terms of the committee’s initial mandate and there was, to our knowledge, no public announcement either by the committee or any relevant municipality that there would be transport provided to public hearings, we have sought clarity on the following points:
1. How much money was been set aside and expended for such transportation?
2. Were such transportation funds provided to all relevant municipalities in which public hearings took place and if not all, which ones?
3. Who, in each municipality where such transportation was carried out, was responsible for its coordination?
4. What criteria was used to select those transported and what was the nature of the publicity – if any – employed to inform the general public of the availability of such transport?
5. Who were the people that were transported?
6. In terms of what rules and prescripts were these arrangements made?
7. What were the points of origin and routes for any transport provided?

As the most publicly contested process of its kind held by the NCOP, it is vital that these provincial hearings be completely transparent and take the entirety of the South African public – whom the NCOP represents – on board. It is therefore a matter of deep concern that these issues have not yet been clarified, as they are crucial to the impartiality and credibility of the public participation process.

We hope you can assist in ensuring that the public is provided with all information requested above before the ad hoc committee resumes deliberations on the Bill.
Sincerely,

Murray Hunter
National Coordinator
Right2Know campaign
021 461 7211
072 672 5468
murray@r2k.org.za

***

8 March 2012

Honorable Raseriti Johannes Tau
Chairperson
Ad Hoc Committee on the Protection of State Information Bill
National Council of Provinces,
Parliament of South Africa

Dear Sir,

I am writing seeking a response to my letter of 29 February 2012, requesting information on funds provided by the NCOP to transport people to the provincial hearings on the Protection of State Information Bill.

As it was never stipulated in the terms of the committee’s initial mandate and that there was, to our knowledge, no public announcement either by the committee or any relevant municipality that there would be transport provided to public hearings, we have sought clarity on the following points:
1. How much money has been set aside and expended for such transportation?
2. Were such transportation funds provided to all relevant municipalities in which public hearings took place and if not all, which ones?
3. Who, in each municipality where such transportation was carried out, was responsible for its coordination?
4. What criteria was used to select those transported and what was the nature of the publicity – if any – employed to inform the general public of the availability of such transport?
5. Whether in the Northern Cape or elsewhere, who were the people that were transported?
In addition, we are requesting the following information:
6. In terms of what rules and prescripts were these arrangements made?
7. What were the points of origin and routes for any transport provided?

As clarity on these issues is crucial to the impartiality and credibility of the public participation process, we believe it is important to resolve the matter before the ad hoc committee resumes deliberations on the Bill. We are therefore seeking a response by end of business Friday 9 March 2012. If no satisfactory response is given we will be obliged to take the matter up with the Chairperson of the House and the Speaker of the National Assembly.
Sincerely,

Murray Hunter

National Coordinator
Right2Know campaign
021 461 7211
072 672 5468
www.r2k.org.za

***

29 February 2012

Honorable Raseriti Johannes Tau
Chairperson
Ad Hoc Committee on the Protection of State Information Bill
National Council of Provinces,
Parliament of South Africa

Dear Sir

It has been brought to our attention that Parliament is providing transport to the public hearings on the Protection of State Information Bill in the Northern Cape. Added to this is information that has been gathered by Right2Know member organisations across the country that this has occurred at other NCOP hearings that took place earlier in different provinces. This is a matter of deep concern as it appears that the transportation has been provided by the committee itself and that the relevant municipalities are coordinating such.

Given that this was never stipulated in the terms of the committee’s initial mandate and that there has been, to our knowledge, no public announcement either by the committee or any relevant municipality to this effect – such that the general public could be informed and included – we are seeking clarity on the following points:
1. How much money has been set aside and expended for such transportation?
2. Were such transportation funds provided to all relevant municipalities in which public hearings took place and if not all, which ones?
3. Who, in each municipality where such transportation was carried out, was responsible for its coordination?
4. What criteria was used to select those transported and what was the nature of the publicity – if any – employed to inform the general public of the availability of such transport?
5. Whether in the Northern Cape or elsewhere, who were the people that were transported?
As the most publicly contested process of its kind held by the NCOP, it is vital that these provincial hearings be completely transparent and take the entirety of the South African public – whom the NCOP represents – on board. It is in light of these objectives that we request that you urgently address these concerns.

Sincerely,

Murray Hunter

National Coordinator
Right2Know campaign
021 461 7211
072 672 5468
www.r2k.org.za