After three years of back-and-forthing, protests from the public and criticism from the opposition, the so-called “secrecy bill” has been passed in the national assembly.
It is an attack on press freedom, and the public’s right to know what those sneaky politicians are really using our taxes for.
The fact that the bill (full name: Protection of State Information Bill) seeks to regulate the classification of state information hints at its apartheid-like nature.
Fine government, keep your secrets. The truth will out, always, and journalists won’t give up on this country as easily as you have.
Opponents of the bill are saying there is still the chance that JZ won’t sign it (making it law) but that he may send it to the constitutional court first, which could prevent it being passed under the auspices of being unconstitutional.
Once again, our hope rests in Jacob Zuma ( which makes it shaky at best) How ironic that this should come to pass, two days before Freedom Day.
This image by South African Satirist extraordinaire, Zapiro
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