Protection of Information Bill South Africa

Controversial Bill Tabled in National Assembly

South Africa’s Protection of Information Bill is a confusing, highly-controversial piece of proposed legislation. When I think I understand the basic points – the situation changes. On September 20, the bill was “unexpectedly removed” from the Parliamentary Programme of South Africa’s ruling ANC party. This happened just before its scheduled debate in the National Assembly. The reason given was to “allow for further public consultation on the Bill with interest groups, civil society, and members of the public”. The Bill is now “tabled” in the National Assembly where it “sits in limbo”.

Information Regulation

The Protection of Information Bill aims to regulate the “classification, protection, and dissemination of state information. In the process, it weighs national interests against transparency and freedom of expression”.

To appear on the Parliamentary Programme again, the bill must first go before the Chief Whips Forum and then the Parliamentary Programme Committee. Chief Whips Forum leaders include Chief Whip Mathole Serofo Motshekga and Chief Whip of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Nosipho Dorothy Ntwanambi.

SA National Interests

Part of the controversy over the Bill is its broad definition of “national interests”. Critics argue that coupled with widely granted powers to classify documents as secret in the name of national interest, the Bill is harmful to transparent government in South Africa. It advocates harsh penalties for disclosing classified information. Many think that the proposed Bill does not follow South Africa’s Constitution but the ANC government strongly denies that the Bill is in any way illegal.

No Government Restrictions

Those who oppose the Bill fear that the ANC may dramatically restrict the rights of citizens to check the actions of government officials. As written, the Protection of Information Bill “grants the government broad powers to classify documents for reasons ranging from national security to protection of state possessions”. This could include everything from “top-secret weapon plans for South African National Defense Forces to the allotments of elephant feed at the Johannesburg Zoo”. The bill specifically forbids classifying documents that are merely embarrassing or that show incompetence. It authorizes prosecuting journalists who have documents labeled as ‘secret’. Media groups argue that this effectively makes investigative journalism illegal.”

Media Freedom

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) claims the Bill “restricts media freedom and limits organizations like theirs from holding government accountable or supporting government in working for a better life for all”.

Disclosure of classified information could be punished with penalties ranging from 3 to 25 years imprisonment. There’s no option for a fine and the public interest is not explicitly mentioned as a defense. The bill criminalizes improperly classifying information where the intent is to:

• Conceal breaches of the law
• Promote an unlawful act, inefficiency, or administrative error
• Prevent embarrassment
• Give undue advantage to those in a competitive bidding process

Director David Dadge said, “I am concerned that if turned into law, this Bill will permit the concealment of a vast range of information that is in the public interest, and lead to the erosion of investigative journalism.”

Right2Know Campaign (R2K)

The Right2Know Campaign (R2K) is a nation-wide coalition of people and organizations opposed to the Protection of Information Bill. Those supporting the R2K campaign think the Bill threatens their hard-won constitutional rights, including access to information and freedom of expression. The R2K campaign statement – “Let the truth be told. Stop the Secrecy Bill!” – demands that the Bill either be thrown out or drastically rewritten to bring it in line with South Africa’s constitutional values.

The group marched to Parliament in Cape Town in protest and conducted candlelight protest vigils. R2K protest participants include author Nadine Gordimer and Nic Dawes, Editor in Chief of Mail and Guardian Newspaper.

“Elsewhere on the African continent, there are positive signs that governments are embracing principles of freer access to information. Nigeria adopted a progressive Freedom of Information Law in 2010. Uganda passed an Access to Information Act in 2005. In 2010 Uganda debated the whistle-blowers protection bill, which aimed to create an enabling environment for citizens to freely disclose information on corrupt conduct in public and private sectors. In Kenya activists and lawyers are pushing government to make changes to comply with its new constitution, which grants citizens access to information held by the state”.

Criminalization of Whistle Blowers

The Protection of Information Bill criminalizes whistle blowers and investigative reporters so severely that few will have the courage and endurance to speak truth to power, says Ayesha Kajee. Kajee, executive director of the Freedom of Expression Institute, is a researcher at the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), and a board member of Transparency International’s South Africa chapter.

Some of the many other organizations protesting The Protection of Information Bill include:

• Black Sash
• Community Journalists
• New Women’s Movement
• Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU)
• Right2Know Campaign (R2K)
• International Press Institute (IPI)
• Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC)
• Delft Township
• Cape Argus Newspaper Cape Town
• Mail and Guardian Newspaper Johannesburg