If anybody asked me today what I thought of democracy in South Africa, I would borrow Mahatma Gandhi's response to the same question about western civilization and say I think it would be a good idea.
This week, when ANC members of Parliament voted to pass the Protection of State Information Bill, it was done in the name of those millions of people who voted the party into government.
But surely this is not what the voters wanted? Surely this act cannot be democratic?
There are those who asked whether the media was not exaggerating the impact this bill would have on media freedom? Some government ministers even suggested that the protests over the bill were fuelled and funded by foreign spies and agents who want to destroy our beautiful country and get access to "our sensitive information".
It is this same scare-mongering that kept the apartheid National Party in power for decades.
It is significant that some of the people who led the spirited defence of the bill have worked in apartheid government structures like the Tri-cameral Parliament. They have obviously learned well, working with the masters of oppression and deception. Men of integrity walked out.
The apartheid government told us that we were exaggerating the impact laws like the Internal Security Act would have, and that it would only be used to protect the state and the people from terrorists and communists. We know better who it was actually aimed at, and that it had nothing to do with the national interest. Many of its victims voted this week for the passing of the secrecy bill.
The apartheid government told us that the State of Emergency Regulations and the deployment of soldiers was in the national interest. We know now, as we did then, that it was meant to protect an evil system. Thousands of our brothers and sisters and fathers and mothers died or disappeared, and the media was gagged by secrecy provisions in the regulations.
Yet, the ANC wants us to believe that the skies will not fall down as a result of the passing of the bill and that we should relax.
The cancer of corruption is eating away at our society. It is not the media, but Transparency International that says corruption is getting worse in Southern Africa. The police service was named as the most corrupt public service provider.
The public is dissatisfied with their conditions. They are unhappy over service delivery. They are angry over state corruption.
They see the arrogance of tenderpreneurs who strut the potholed streets, Johnny Walker Gold and Blue under their armpits even as their own children die from hunger and the frontiers of poverty are closing in on them.
The media has exposed many crooked tenders which have enriched the ruling elite.
Whistle blowers are told they have to report wrongdoing to the police - the very institution that is the most corrupt - but they cannot be in possession of documents which could prove their claims.
It is YOUR money that is being squandered - money that could improve your child's education environment, your health services, community services and infrastructure. And the media will not be able to report most of these corrupt activities. That is why the media is concerned.
Even during the dark days of apartheid, it was the media that was able to expose the humiliation of black prisoners. It was the media that exposed that government's information scandal, which included the illegal funding of a newspaper to "give the government's side of the story and report positively". In spite of gags, the truth prevailed. It is the media which has exposed Oilgate, the police lease deals and tens of other corrupt activities recently. And it is the media that has led the pressure for the government to set up a full probe of the controversial arms deal.
The media generally recognises public consternation about accuracy in reporting and are engaged in ongoing efforts to eliminate errors. The public still trusts the media - that is why whistle blowers turn to journalists rather than the police to probe wrongdoing.
The public has an absolute right to know what is being done with their resources, and in their name.
Ruling party is trying to hoodwink us like the Nats did
If anybody asked me today what I thought of democracy in South Africa, I would borrow Mahatma Gandhi's response to the same question about western civilization and say I think it would be a good idea.
This week, when ANC members of Parliament voted to pass the Protection of State Information Bill, it was done in the name of those millions of people who voted the party into government.
But surely this is not what the voters wanted? Surely this act cannot be democratic?
There are those who asked whether the media was not exaggerating the impact this bill would have on media freedom? Some government ministers even suggested that the protests over the bill were fuelled and funded by foreign spies and agents who want to destroy our beautiful country and get access to "our sensitive information".
It is this same scare-mongering that kept the apartheid National Party in power for decades.
It is significant that some of the people who led the spirited defence of the bill have worked in apartheid government structures like the Tri-cameral Parliament. They have obviously learned well, working with the masters of oppression and deception. Men of integrity walked out.
The apartheid government told us that we were exaggerating the impact laws like the Internal Security Act would have, and that it would only be used to protect the state and the people from terrorists and communists. We know better who it was actually aimed at, and that it had nothing to do with the national interest. Many of its victims voted this week for the passing of the secrecy bill.
The apartheid government told us that the State of Emergency Regulations and the deployment of soldiers was in the national interest. We know now, as we did then, that it was meant to protect an evil system. Thousands of our brothers and sisters and fathers and mothers died or disappeared, and the media was gagged by secrecy provisions in the regulations.
Yet, the ANC wants us to believe that the skies will not fall down as a result of the passing of the bill and that we should relax.
The cancer of corruption is eating away at our society. It is not the media, but Transparency International that says corruption is getting worse in Southern Africa. The police service was named as the most corrupt public service provider.
The public is dissatisfied with their conditions. They are unhappy over service delivery. They are angry over state corruption.
They see the arrogance of tenderpreneurs who strut the potholed streets, Johnny Walker Gold and Blue under their armpits even as their own children die from hunger and the frontiers of poverty are closing in on them.
The media has exposed many crooked tenders which have enriched the ruling elite.
Whistle blowers are told they have to report wrongdoing to the police - the very institution that is the most corrupt - but they cannot be in possession of documents which could prove their claims.
It is YOUR money that is being squandered - money that could improve your child's education environment, your health services, community services and infrastructure. And the media will not be able to report most of these corrupt activities. That is why the media is concerned.
Even during the dark days of apartheid, it was the media that was able to expose the humiliation of black prisoners. It was the media that exposed that government's information scandal, which included the illegal funding of a newspaper to "give the government's side of the story and report positively". In spite of gags, the truth prevailed. It is the media which has exposed Oilgate, the police lease deals and tens of other corrupt activities recently. And it is the media that has led the pressure for the government to set up a full probe of the controversial arms deal.
The media generally recognises public consternation about accuracy in reporting and are engaged in ongoing efforts to eliminate errors. The public still trusts the media - that is why whistle blowers turn to journalists rather than the police to probe wrongdoing.
The public has an absolute right to know what is being done with their resources, and in their name.
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