Proposed bill 'just as bad for the public'
THE Protection of Information Bill could place severe restrictions on the rights of individuals to access information, an advocacy group has warned.
Alison Tilley, the executive director of the Open Democracy Advice Centre, told a gathering of information officers in Johannesburg yesterday that the bill could restrict members of the public access to information such as their own health and tax records, university research and commercial information such as tender documents.
"It is not just a bill targeting the media. It also impacts on ordinary people. It creates complications when people are not entitled to their own records."
Tilley said the bill stood in contrast to the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), which allows individuals to access public records.
In its submission to Parliament the centre suggests that the bill only classify information that relates to matters of national security and state bodies such as the police, defence and intelligent agencies.
ODAC also suggested that penalties stipulated in the bill should apply to those responsible for keeping information secret and to protect whistleblowers.
The Human Rights Commission, which held the conference on International Right to Know Day, said the right to information was central to a democratic society.
The commission said it was concerned that government departments' poor compliance with the "right-to-know law could be undermined by the proposed bill".
"This has the potential to dilute the effectiveness of PAIA, which is one of the few ways in which ordinary people are empowered to hold the government accountable for service delivery," the HRC said in a statement.
Bhudmaswidi
Whats the point of saying they want to protect the informantion not to go out of public. We want to know as tax payers what the money is being used for. Parlementary committee want to protect themselves from being exposed of their scandals...Report Abuse
CandyLicious
Who is protection bil meant to protect,,,,zuma the polygamist, his criminal friends and and all the criminals in the ANC who chowing taxpayers money like theres no 2moro,,,,who are they fooling,,pllllllllllz...!!!Report Abuse
SimbaT
It's the president or government's prerogative to amend laws or bills, but on a consultative capacity. South Africa is a democratic state (Representative Democracy), where representatives are elected by ordinary citizens to represent their views. However, this corrupt government infested with illiterates is concerned about the ANC's own scandals and measures on how to preclude any possible exposure..Listening to Zuma on a radio two days ago was just a waste of time, his sub-standard vocabulary attests his rivalry with any academic institution. I didn't go model C schools, but my English will convince Obama, Mugabe and UK..Report Abuse
Madyakubomba
@ SimbaT, you can say that again.The best way is to join the ANC and
fight these cabals from within otherwise
we shall complain for ever without any solution.
Report Abuse