... about the proposed Protection of Information Bill - and we're not apologising. Responsible media leaders across the board are opposed to the bill for a very good reason - it goes totally against what our democracy is supposed to stand for. As Nelson Mandela said in February 1994: "A critical, independent and investigative press is the lifeblood of any democracy." Clearly, the ANC of today does not share that view - and that is something that should deeply worry anyone who holds our democracy dear. The problem is that not only is the ANC of today deeply insensitive to any criticism, it provides the media with an absolute arsenal of ammunition to be (quite rightly) used against it. The answer is not to gag the media, however, nor to create the proposed media appeals tribunal. The answer is to act as a responsible political party and governing party should do, if it has integrity and discipline. Do that, and the media won't have any ammunition to produce stories on corruption, fraud, theft, incompetence, nepotism, tenderpreneuring and all the rest. Make no mistake, this bill poses one of the greatest threats to our young democracy it has ever faced. Critics say that in its present form it will protect the corrupt and that means only one thing if it is adopted in its present form, or at all - a downward spiral. To media freedom and democracy! Simone Puterman (@SimoneBiz) and Rod Baker
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