Public Protector to convey SANEF and civil society concerns regarding information bill to NCOP
Public Protector Adv Thuli Madonsela will make use of a meeting with the National Council of Provinces' ad-hoc committee on the Protection of State Information Bill scheduled for Thursday this week to convey the concerns that have been raised with her by civil society organisations and the media.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday following her meeting with the South African National Editors Forum (SANEF) in Pretoria, the Public Protector said she considered this her duty as the head of an institution tasked with supporting and strengthening constitutional democracy.
"The whole idea of an open society in a non-negotiable as it is enshrined as a foundational value in Chapter 1 and as a right in Section 32 of the Constitution. My role as the Public Protector is to support and strengthen constitutional democracy. I, accordingly, welcomed the opportunity to meet with SANEF in that context," she said.
The meeting came after several media and civil society organisations approached the Public Protector with requests to have the properness of the latest version of the Bill assessed. The main complaint, including from SANEF, has been the Bill's failure to include a public interest defence.
Concerns have also been raised about the protection of whistle-blowers and impact on the functioning of institutions responsible for enforcing the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, including the Public Protector.