Cosatu, R2K, SANEF to work together against Secrecy Bill
1 Dec 2011
Cosatu, the Right2Know Campaign and the South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) have announced a coalition against the Protection of Information Bill. Though loosely based, the coalition between the groups will pool efforts to lobby the National Council of Provinces and other parties of interest, and if all else fails, will present a united front against the bill at the Constitutional Court.
Cosatu secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi met with SANEF on Wednesday morning, 30 November 2011, to plan a way forward on the opposition to the Protection of State Information Bill.
The two organisations agreed that the major hurdle is that the public doesn't seem to know what the bill is all about, and why it is a threat to everyone's freedom and not just the media's. The focus in the coming weeks is going to be on a public-awareness campaign aimed at teaching the public what threats the bill poses.
The strategy formulated by the loose coalition between Cosatu, SANEF and Right2Know can be described as three-pronged: education, petition and litigation.
Continue reading the full story on www.freeafricanmedia.com.
For more:
- Bizcommunity Special Section: Special focus on media freedom & right to know
- Bizcommunity Search: Protection of Information Bill or Secrecy Bill or Black Tuesday
- Google News Search: Protection of Information Bill
- Twitter Search: "Protection of Information Bill" OR POIB OR "Secrecy Bill" OR secrecybill OR POSIB OR "Protection of State Information Bill" or blacktuesday
About Sipho Hlongwane: @comradesipho
Sipho Hlongwane is a professional communicator and freelance writer based in Cape Town. Follow him on Twitter at @comradesipho.
View my profile and articles...
- Why playing it straight and true always wins - 13 Nov 2015
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- Cosatu, R2K, SANEF to work together against Secrecy Bill - 1 Dec 2011
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View my profile and articles...