Black Tuesday protest declared against "Secrecy Bill"

Whatever happens on Tuesday, South Africans fighting for access to information will not be silenced.

On Sunday 21 November, Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee, chairman of the National Press Club (@npclub), issued a statement declaring "Wednesday 23 November 'Black Wednesday', in protest at the Protection of (State) Information Bill". "Parliament is to vote on the controversial bill on Wednesday. The press club has called on all South Africans to wear black on the day," read the statement.

Later on Sunday, however, Abramjee was informed by parliamentary reporter Chantal Presence that she had confirmed with the programme director at Parliament that the bill will be voted on at 2pm on Tuesday 22 November in the National Assembly.

Abramjee suggested that the voting may have been moved forward because of the connotations of the phrase "Black Wednesday". As the press statement explained: "'Black Wednesday' is synonymous with the apartheid government which banned two newspapers and 19 black consciousness movements on 19 October 1977."

The office of ANC chief whip, Mathole Motshekga, issued its own press statement on Sunday evening, showing distaste for the comparison between events in 1977 and South Africa today.

Continue reading the full story on www.dailymaverick.co.za.

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