The Ministry of State Security welcomes the approval by the National Assembly of the report of the Adhoc Committee on the Protection of State Information Bill.
This approval by Parliament paves the way for this Bill to be become law, when the President assents to it, thereby bringing to finality a process that started a few years ago.
The additional strengthening of the whistle-blowers protection and exposing corruption and other illegal activities are some of the important features of this highly revised bill. The concerns around the public interest defence have also been considered and accommodated within reason, although some have argued these do not go far enough.
Matters pertaining to the centrality of the Promotion of Access to Information Act were addressed whilst paving the way for a constitutional process of classification, reclassification and declassification of information. “Our people as shareholders of the Republic will henceforth know when matters cease to be sensitive what government has been doing in their name”, said the Minister of State Security, Dr Siyabonga Cwele.
We wish to thank all South Africans for their contribution in the process of developing this Bill.
Enquiries:
Brian Dube, Head of Communication
Cell: 082 418 3389
