South Africa: Support Black Tuesday, Open Letter to Zuma From Archbishop

[rug]

29 November 2011

Today, 29 November 2011 is another Black Tuesday as a protest against the infamous Bill and, as the Association for Communication and Advertising, SANEF, ProJourn and Cape Town Press Club call for its support, the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Dr Thabo Makgoba, writes an open letter to President Zuma.

The Black Tuesday campaign is an initiative of the National Press Club (NPC).

Open letter calling for return of the Bill.

Dear Mr President,

I write to you as one who grew up under a system that oppressed and censored the media a system that invoked fear in anyone who dared to read, or embrace, different views to those of the government of the day.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201111291047.html

Does anyone have any information on this Protection of State Information Bill in South Africa?

[tabatha]

1. Secrecy Bill: Black Tuesday 'not the end of the road'

Constitutional restraints
On Tuesday evening, former Constitutional Court judge Kate O'Regan said all enacted legislation must comply with three constitutional restraints: compliance with legality, rationality and the Bill of Rights.

South Africans have the right to bring the secrecy Bill before the Constitutional Court if they feel it is impinging on their rights, she said at the annual Helen Suzman memorial lecture in Johannesburg.

O'Regan said she would not comment on whether the information Bill could be regarded as unconstitutional, as she had not read it, but the Helen Suzman Foundation said the Bill would undermine the constitutional democracy of the country.

"The Bill cannot credibly be described as in South Africa's best interests," it said in a statement on Monday.

"Instead it is a case of political expediency triumphing over constitutional rights. It marks the beginning of policy being driven by a secretive and self-serving security cluster."
http://mg.co.za/article/2011-11-23-secrecy-bill-black-tuesday-not-the-end-of-road

All articles on this topic:
http://mg.co.za/specialreport/media-under-fire

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