Rally today against Secrecy Bill outside Parliament

Right2Know is calling on the public to join it outside Parliament in the Western Cape today, Wednesday, 21 November 2012, to rally against the passing of the Protection of Information Bill. The rally starts at 1pm, with the entering of Parliament at 2pm. Those entering Parliament will need to carry their ID books.

Speakers include Tony Ehrenreich (COSATU), Nic Dawes (SANEF), and Mark Weinberg (Right2Know).

The rally will be held before the National Council of Provinces' ad hoc committee begins voting to take the Secrecy Bill a step closer to becoming a Secrecy Law. Right2Know states that it's unfortunate, but likely, that representatives of the ruling party will use their numerical majority to overcome any resistance from opposition parities.

Right2Know continues to engage at every level in the fight against the Secrecy Bill. Despite some useful amendments, the Bill remains bereft of constitutional muster and represents a threat to whistleblowers, community activists, journalsits, and our democracy as a whole.

The organisation calls on parliamentarians to engage more fully with the submissions made by a host of civil society organisations including the Right2Know Campaign. It demands that the Bill be replaced with legislation that genuinely reflects a just balance between the public's right to know and government's need to protect limited state information.

The Right2Know Rally forms part of a week long, day and night, Camp Out for Openness outside Parliament.