Secrecy Bill will affect the poor more than anyone else

Sadly more than the media, the protection of Information Bill "Secrecy Bill" will affect the poor/grass root communities.

Comrade Jacob Zuma said during his election campaign walkabouts in poor communities, he now understood what the service delivery protests were really about. Our people become most frustrated and angry when the information that should have been made available to them, to make informed decisions, was denied or hidden away from them.

Those engaged in the hundreds of service delivery protests that continue to take place every year, state time and time again, that an absence of information about the services they should be receiving and the abuse of ratepayers money - fuels their anger more than anything else.

If this bill is passed in its current form, there are likely to be more service delivery protests not less. There is likely to be more corruption not less, and there is likely to be more disenchantment with our democratic society and its institutions.

This is bad news for our still fledgling democracy, and for accountable and responsive Local Government.  Our society - especially grass root communities - need more empowering information, not less!

The poor/grass root communities will suffer dearly if the "Secrecy Bill" becomes law, there would be no way to demand the service delivery and corruption free local Government that we all deserve.

Statement issued by Tahir Sema, SAMWU national media and publicity officer, November 25 2011

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