CHAIR OF NCOP INFO BILL COMMITTEE ELECTED

The Office of the ANC Chief Whip welcomes the election of Johannes Tau as the Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Protection of State Information Bill.

His chairmanship was unanimously supported by all political parties at the Ad Hoc Committee's first meeting held today, 7 December 2011.

Tau, who is also the House Chairperson responsible for committees and oversight in the NCOP, joined parliament in 2004. He has previously served in various committees of the NCOP, including as the Chairperson of the Select Committee on Public Services. A former student activist, Tau has served in various leadership positions within the ANC, the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the National Education and Health Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU).

The ANC's decision to further engage on the Bill will ensure that the NCOP's Ad Hoc Committee criss-crosses the country to explain the Bill to the people and obtain their views. The Committee will make sure that the Bill reaches even the remotest villages and townships of our country so that as many people as possible are afforded an opportunity to have a say.

The committee is scheduled to wrap up its business by April 2012.

Statement issued by The ANC Parliamentary Caucus, Parliament of the Republic of SA, December 7 2011

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