South Africa MPs Pass Controversial 'Secrecy Bill'

South Africa MPs Pass Controversial 'Secrecy Bill'

www.bbc.co.uk

Nobel Peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu called it "insulting" and warned it could be used to outlaw "whistle-blowing and investigative journalism".

The ANC (African National Congress) says the law will safeguard state secrets and national security.

What is in the 'secrecy bill'?

The bill would give the state the power to classify documents as secret in the "national interest"
"National interest" defined very broadly, critics say, and could include reports about government corruption and human rights abuses
Jail terms of up to 25 years for anyone in possession of class

(visit the link for the full news article)

I encourage members read the entire article.

This is pretty alarming, not only for the people of South Africa but if this evolves in to an effective measure in state security (in the eyes of world leaders of course) as this not only furthers the divide between people and their governments but erects a 100M high razor fence on either side of a stone wall!

It will effectively, obliterate transparency of governments and allow them to operate in complete secrecy whilst enforcing the broad terms of the bill on those deemed a threat.

Scary stuff.

www.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

When will the politicians that pass these laws realize that they are people too, and they are not only tearing away the rights of every citizen in their country but also for themselves, their families, and future generations...!?

I agree, especially in a country such as South Africa that has, in it's short history of European colonisation witnessed multiple atrocities in terms of human rights and still does.

I'm trying to discern whether this is a paranoid pre-emptive or if they have something up their sleeve. Either way we'll probably never know.

reply to post by Pirateofpsychonautics

I agree, especially in a country such as South Africa that has, in it's short history of European colonisation witnessed multiple atrocities in terms of human rights and still does.

I'm trying to discern whether this is a paranoid pre-emptive or if they have something up their sleeve. Either way we'll probably never know.

Not to stray too far off topic, but I have wondered what rule South Africa actually plays on the world stage, and what they had to do with the recent removal of two of Africa's most influential/powerful/richest leaders in Mubarak and Gaddafi. After all, Gaddafi did instigate the creation of the African Union. South Africa was chosen in 2004 to become the first African nation to host the World Cup in 2010. Kinda makes you wonder if 'they' had planned for a power shift in Africa and the hosting of the World Cup signified the beginning of what was to come.

Anyway, I guess this legislation isn't that much different than the 'Pat-Riot Act.' But it does say that it won't officially pass until next year’s vote.

reply to post by tooo many pills


I have often wondered the same thing and the most valid explanation I can come up with is that it was created as a Western outpost in Africa which is geographically remote from the more hostile nations in the northern regions of the country whilst still maintaining that presence and influence- perhaps to oversee the extraction of minerals and resources?

beats me

reply to post by Pirateofpsychonautics


Sounds pretty spot on to me

Bit like this in the UK nowadays. The BBC, SKYNEWS, RT>COM etc. Prefer to use a NEWS broadcast to tell us about problesm of Film Stars, Pop Stars, or Football Players .......... They now ignore Global Killings - ie Egypt etc. and spend hours in a court room listening to a comedian or in Parliament doing the same.

To top it all we have to watch 39 old repeats each day. Media here is History.

everyone here is absolutely fuming that this is even being considered!!

But, I remain hopeful of the situation, for it is such a stupid law that even the uneducated masses living in poverty can realize such and I'm sure as this moves forward to final signing the people of SA will surround parliament, city halls, etc

now, maybe, staunch ANC supporters will second guess, yet again, the people they have allowed power.

the straw that broke the camels back? I pray so.

It's clearly against the constitution...

32. Access to information

1. Everyone has the right of access to ­
1. any information held by the state; and
2. any information that is held by another person and that is required for the exercise or protection of any rights.
2. National legislation must be enacted to give effect to this right, and may provide for reasonable measures to alleviate the administrative and financial burden on the state.

Source

First they fight for Freedom and Human Rights. And then they take it away. One human right at a time...

I guess we will only know the outcome of this later. They are planning to take this to the constitutional court. Big question is how this influences the web. Does it have any say in what gets published on the web? Or is this just print media.

If Zuma signs this and it comes into law ,the punishment for breaking this law can be up to 25 years is jail! Ridiculous!

The big worrying factor for me is that there is a lot of corruption in SA and with this law essentially covering for the criminals. And wont it be just the best thing for the politicians and judges if this bill gets to be law.

I would like to use a lot of profanity , but I promised myself not to get angry at politics Let them be. I'm sure the criminals will break into their houses to and rape their women as well.

Here is the link with the bill

www.info.gov.za...

George Orwells' Animal Farm comes to mind:
"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss".

Originally posted by deltaalphanovember
George Orwells' Animal Farm comes to mind:
"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss".

And they're pigs, with their dogs of war.

Drunk with power and priviledge, their time is coming.

"Die Vierkleur sal wapper weer"

SAPS forensics investigator Juda Dagane on facebook:

SA Cop: “We’LL COMMIT A GENOCIDE... I HATE WHITES’

Would be nice to dismiss such stupidity as random idiocy, but since we're sitting at number 6 on genocide watch (there are only 7 levels, and 7 is full on genocide), my sense of humour has emigrated.

This is the topic that everybody in SA is talking and fuming about right now. I'm still fuming.

It is such an arrogant move on the part of a government that is in fact completely disinterested in the affairs of the tax-paying and income-providing citizens.

I must admit though that one positive point of all of this is the fact that South Africans rallied together yesterday - the amount of people uniting on this front was absolutely encouraging. So encouraging that I felt the need to post a thread about it yesterday: Black Tuesday.

Pity though that all my upbeat emotions about the actual process turned into a big fat pile of manure during the course of the day.

I am now not at all opposed to the idea of the secession of the Western Cape into an independent state. Not the best solution, but a good option should there be no other recourse. In fact - if all the like-minded and hardworking individuals with integrity in SA had to congregate in this province - it could become a new Monaco of the world in terms of wealth, safety and prosperity.

reply to post by shimmeringsilver73


Cape town Murder rate: 62 per 100,000 inhabitants (5.9 per day)

Don't think its close to Monaco but there is a lot of extremely beautiful women there.

Originally posted by LiquidAsh
reply to post by shimmeringsilver73

 

Cape town Murder rate: 62 per 100,000 inhabitants (5.9 per day)

Don't think its close to Monaco but there is a lot of extremely beautiful women there.

Well - CT beats Gauteng's murder rate by a long shot. Where did you get your figures? Would be interested to know how the other provinces' crime rates compare to the WC.

Also - we're not currently remotely close to a situation like Monaco - but we can become quite a powerhouse if the WC is made an independent state and all the "workers and tax-payers" of the country" had to flock there. Don't you agree? Imagine how the ANC officials will be floundering around in the mud up north - nationalizing mines and the like - all the while they are running out of money to thieve and spend...

As for CT's beautiful women - it is a great start, ain't it??? Nice "scenery", lovely and great natural beauty too, plenty of good wine... I can think of worse places to be...

reply to post by shimmeringsilver73


Have a look at this en.wikipedia.org... I the original stats that I gave is definitely outdated. www.foreignpolicy.com... and www.tourism-review.com...

But it still not good numbers. Sorry for going off topic but I think it is important to paint a picture of the political situation in SA to understand why people are upset about the Bill.

reply to post by LiquidAsh


Thanks! I found one of those links just after hitting "reply" to your earlier post. It is a frightening stat and one that I was blissfully unaware of. In fact, I feel as if I have been living under a rock these last couple of years - thinking that "hey - at least violent crime is less in my province". I have no idea how I arrived at the assumption that the "Jo'burgers" have it worse.

Yes - all these points are pertinent to the discussion. The fact is that at the moment all South Africans are facing a mightily uncertain future. Over and above the obvious economic and political implications, there are many undercurrents affecting our own sanity and feelings of (in)security - such as the whispers of "white genocide" and the loud advocacy of nationalization and land claims without compensation. The introduction of the secrecy bill may also be a manner in which all of these moves could be disguised until the very last moment.

All the while we have to keep working our backsides off to keep everything going and to survive in a system that is challenged by factors such as low international investor confidence, high inflation, high interest rates, a weakening rand, recession, increasingly low country image etc. etc. It would be worth it to see our tax rands converted into real and tangible society assets. But no - the tax-payers mostly gets a nice firmly-placed kick on the ass instead.

reply to post by shimmeringsilver73


It sure is a crazy world we live in. But I tell myself all is well just to go on with living. The reality is that there are millions of poor South Africans that also want to go on with living , but they cant just forget about crime. They are trapped in a place I never want to be. And I can understand why there is drug and alcohol abuse that leads to crime.

This will be solved by if our government decides that we as a people are good enough to do better as nation. Not as a race. Why are we paying the same price for petrol imported and petrol made here? Why are we not getting the money from gold sales? Why are paying foreigners to import goods into SA just to pay the foreigner again? Thats what the Afrikaner went to war for. To keep the wealth for his country and people.

Genocide rumours has always been a way to control a race into silent submission. Thats whats happening here. No need to panick. Just dont watch news or read newspapers. You'll feel much better.

reply to post by harryhaller


The "Vierkleur" can burn as far as I am concerned. I DO NOT want a return to the old ways and Afrikaner rule - that was just as bad as the current government.
I would be happy with a real unbiased democracy of all ethnic groups. Unfortunately where politicians are involved, corruption, greed and incompetence is also involved.