Secrecy Bill and the Constitutional Court
Just before the second reading vote on the Protection of (State) Information Bill on Tuesday, 22 November 2011, leader of the Democratic Alliance in Parliament Lindiwe Mazibuko urged MPs in the ruling party not to vote for it.
"If passed, this bill will unstitch the very fabric of our Constitution," she said. "It will criminalise the freedoms that so many of our people fought for. What will you, the members on that side of the House, tell your grandchildren one day?"
The ANC's single-party majority saw the bill steamrollered through by 229 votes to 107 (with two abstensions).
...Not surprisingly, the chairman of the ad-hoc committee on the POIB and ANC MP Luwellyn Landers says he is confident the bill is constitutional as it stands.
Continue reading the full story on www.dailymaverick.co.za.
- Bizcommunity Special Section: Special focus on media freedom & right to know
- Bizcommunity Search: Protection of Information Bill or Secrecy Bill or Black Tuesday
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- Twitter Search: "Protection of Information Bill" OR POIB OR "Secrecy Bill" OR secrecybill OR POSIB OR "Protection of State Information Bill" or blacktuesday
Source: Daily Maverick
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About Sipho Hlongwane: @comradesipho
Sipho Hlongwane is a professional communicator and freelance writer based in Cape Town. Follow him on Twitter at @comradesipho.Related
