As much as the South African government might feel the need to introduce information bills and media tribunals to keep the media at bay and in check, it will be a losing battle.
While many governments have, in the past, been able to almost muzzle their media and come close to proving that the sword is, in fact, mightier than the pen, they will find that the digital pen is now winning the battle hands down.
The digital pen is not confined within borders as its forebears were. Digital pens are global and almost impossible to pinpoint geographically. And muzzling a digital pen is almost impossible for government because trying to cut it off means having to cripple one's own communication and information network.
Despots on the spot
The revolutions that have been sweeping North Africa and the Middle East for the past few months are testimony to the might of the digital pen as it wields its power through Twitter and other social media - racing unchecked through the interweb. The digital pen has been credited with the downfall of Egyptian President Mubarak and exposing despots right left and centre. Not to mention causing considerable discomfort to governments all over the world, not the least of which was the quite astounding WikiLeaks exposures of US double-dealing diplomacy.
And here in South Africa, as we watch our government building up steam to muzzle the media with tribunals and withhold information through the implementation of iniquitous protection of information legislation, a group of South African expats is establishing an offshore website to allow whistleblowers to expose those very things our government doesn't want us to know about.
Whereabouts unknown
Just where the website will be remains unknown. All we know, right now, is that it is about to go live and that it might be in Australia or the UK or Outer Mongolia, for that matter.
And just like many North Africans states have discovered, the SA government won't be able to block this site without actually shutting down the internet. Which will never happen because the SA government, its police, security services and military rely on the Internet just as much as business and particularly our tourism industry that would collapse in a heartbeat if the Internet went down.
While the old-fashioned pen lay exclusively in the hands of journalists, the digital pen is owned by everyone, from the biggest media companies to just about every citizen who can afford a cellphone. In SA there are about four cellphones for every man woman and child.
Can't keep secrets
Recent history has shown that it is almost impossible these days for governments to keep secrets. Mainly because there is never a situation in any government, in any cabinet, where members will agree 100% with each other.
And all it takes is one disenchanted cabinet minister or party member to expose something with which they disagree by picking up a digital pen and letting the world know about it faster then it takes to pour another cup of coffee or butter a muffin.
Own worst enemies
While our government might complain bitterly about the media publishing embarrassing or potentially damaging information, the irony of it all is that, as any newspaper editor will tell you, this is not as a result of the media doing any snooping but because of tipoffs from within government itself. From within cabinet. From within the upper echelons of the party.
So, in my opinion, trying to protect any information or trying to keep the media in check by enacting legislation is futile and extremely counterproductive.
All it will achieve is to prove conclusively that our government has something to hide.
