Gauteng Right2Know Campaign SECRECY BILL PROTEST PICKETS
PRESS STATEMENT from Gauteng Right2Know Campaign
SECRECY BILL PROTEST PICKETS
To voice our remaining concerns with the Secrecy Bill the Right2Know Campaign will hold protest pickets across Gauteng in the first week of September 2012, the week prior to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) scheduled finalisation of the Bill set for 11 September 2012.
The current version of the Secrecy Bill still does not meet ALL of the demands contained in the R2K 7 point freedom test.
PICKET 01
Thursday, 06 Sept
Soweto 10h00 – 11h00
Soweto, at the Hector Peterson Museum square, Soweto
For more info contact Bongani on 071 043 2221
PICKET 02:
Friday, 07 Sept
Johannesburg 08h00 – 09h00
Chief Albert Luthuli House, 54 Sauer Street, Johannesburg
For more info, contact Dale McKinley on 072 429 4086
PICKET 03:
Monday, 10 Sept
Vaal Region 11h00 – 14h00
Emfuleni Municipality, Vanderbijlpark, Vaal Region
For more info contact Solomon on 079 991 7671
TWO YEARS LATER, WHAT’S STILL WRONG WITH THE SECRECY BILL?
Despite many victories over the last two years, the Secrecy Bill (the Protection of State Information Bill) remains a threat to our democracy. While R2K’s impact on the Bill and further ANC proposals is clear, critical issues remain!
For the Right2Know Campaign’s full statement on what is still wrong with the Secrecy Bill, read more here!
The Right2Know Campaign has called many times for MPs to push back against the securocrats who introduced the Secrecy Bill to bolster their own powers, and recent deliberations suggest that this may be happening at last.
Although many of these concerns have yet to be addressed, the ANC caucus has proposed a few vital amendments – specifically, striking down clause 49 which would have given the Department of State Security even greater powers of secrecy. This is a welcome sign that Parliament is reasserting its role in the process.
However, we note that these amendments appear to be the result of closed-door meetings between political parties. No documents have yet been made public, and even though there is the appearance of progress, there is nothing in writing. It is vital that these deliberations be open and fully transparent. We will continue to fight for a just and constitutional law that promotes declassification and openness over classification and secrecy. On a matter where every small gain has been a result of the continued energies of ordinary people across the country, there can be no backroom deals that exclude the public!
Anyone wishing to take part in one of the above listed pickets should contact the person for the relevant picket (as above), and come wearing RED & BLACK.
For further comment contact:
R2K Gauteng spokesperson: Dale McKinley (Cell: 072 429 4086; Email: dtmckinley@gmail.com)
www.r2k.org.za (Sign our statement)
www.facebook.com/Right2Know
Twitter: @r2kcampaign
Join the campaign – SMS ‘TRUTH’ and your name to 31332
