Post date: Nov 23, 2011 1:9:44 PM
South Africans express their concern over a controversial secrecy bill that was passed by parliament despite public protests.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (NOVEMBER 23, 2011) (REUTERS) - South Africans expressed their concern on Wednesday (November 23) after parliament passed a controversial bill to protect state secrets, despite criticism at home and abroad.
The Protection of Information Bill allows any government agency to apply for classification of information that is "valuable" to the state and criminalises the possession and distribution of state secrets.
Opponents say it harkens back to apartheid legislation and makes it easier for corrupt officials to conceal graft.
''It's kind of sad, you know, because when we got this democracy, we were told about freedom of speech and everything and now if certain things are going to be suppressed, then it's going to be....it's very sad because we're not going to know what is happening with state funds and what not. So it's very sad,'' said Lethu Mtshali, a student from Johannesburg.
The press have already criticised the legislation as an attempt to silence whistle-blowers and muzzle investigative journalists, who face up to 25 years in jail for revealing state secrets.
''For me that's bad, that's really bad because the media is the only link between the people and the government. So far we don't have any other information that we can get, other than the media,'' said Johannesburg resident Dinani Mabudafhasi.
Critics say the bill makes it easy to hide graft from public view and intimidates those who try to expose it. Many say the bill is reminiscent of apartheid-era censorship laws.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation also said it was "concerned" about the bill while Desmond Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate said the law would be a 'disservice' to the country.
''I think that Mr. Mandela is most probably is having nightmares about the fact that he was the first guy to actually come and say we needed an independent media, we needed transparency, we needed good governance and this is not being done at the moment,'' said Mark Booysen in Johannesburg's business district of Sandton.
But some Johannesburg residents said they supported the bill, arguing it was necessary to protect state secrets.
"I agree there needs to be a secrecy bill, I think sensitive information should not be made readily available because obviously the nation's security would be at stake,'' said Martin Maisir.
The measure coincides with concerns over growing cronyism in the ruling African National Congress (ANC) government and a downgrade of South Africa's outlook by ratings agency Moody's.
South Africa, under ANC control since the end of white-minority apartheid rule in 1994, has been sliding in the Transparency International gauge of perceived corruption from 38th in the world in 2001 to 54th in 2010.
President Jacob Zuma has said tackling corruption is a top policy priority but has done little about it. He dragged his feet in dismissing two cabinet ministers named as corrupt in government reports and has himself faced charges of bribery. He has never been convicted.
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