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Secrecy Bill Approved
| News by Staff ReporterParliament passed the PoIB with a majority vote
Parliament on Tuesday passed the Protection of Information Bill (PoIB) with 229 votes in favour, 107 votes against and two abstentions, resulting in an uproar by many South Africans.The Bill makes it possible for the state (from governmental departments to municipalities) to classify any information it deems as sensitive or secret and imposes prison sentences of up to 25 years for whistleblowers who leak information.
The Bill was voted in by an ANC majority after opposition parties called for it to be postponed.
Dene Smuts, the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) spokesperson on justice and constitutional development, said Tuesday’s vote, although it was a foregone conclusion, was significant in that voting and discussions lasted an hour as opposed to several minutes as is usually the case.
“It was an event of some significance that sent a clear message that everybody will be watching the passage of the Bill through its second stage,” said Smuts.
The day was marked by multitudes of activists wearing black in protest of the secrecy bill, who gathered outside parliament and at various locations around the country. The campaign to oppose the Bill was called “Black Tuesday”.
Source: www.bizpremises.co.za
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