Quote of the week
Universal adult suffrage on a common voters roll is one of the foundational values of our entire constitutional order. The achievement of the franchise has historically been important both for the acquisition of the rights of full and effective citizenship by all South Africans regardless of race, and for the accomplishment of an all-embracing nationhood. The universality of the franchise is important not only for nationhood and democracy. The vote of each and every citizen is a badge of dignity and of personhood. Quite literally, it says that everybody counts. In a country of great disparities of wealth and power it declares that whoever we are, whether rich or poor, exalted or disgraced, we all belong to the same democratic South African nation; that our destinies are intertwined in a single interactive polity.
August and Another v Electoral Commission and Others (CCT8/99) [1999] ZACC 3
Right2Know week of action
Week of Action: 19 – 27 October 2010
A responsive and accountable democracy that can meet the basic needs of our people is built upon transparency and the free flow of information. The gains of South Africans’ struggle for freedom are threatened by the Secrecy Bill (the Protection of Information Bill) currently before Parliament.
This Bill fundamentally undermines the struggle for whistleblower protection and access to information. It is one of a number of proposed measures which could have the combined effect of fundamentally undermining the right to access information and the freedom of expression enshrined in the Constitution.
Join the Right2Know campaign’s Week of Action from 19th to the 27th October 2010 and send a clear message to the South African government: Stop the Secrecy Bill! Let the Truth Be Told!
Take Action Now!
Show our support for the Right2Know: Sign the statement at www.right2know.org.za or SMS “R2K”, followed by your name and town/city to 32759;
Organize public meetings, workshops, pickets, or protests during the Week of Action. Invite a representative of the Right2Know to speak at your event;
Contact a member of Parliament and tell them your concerns. The chair of the Committee is Cecil Burgess – you can call him on (021) 403 2911 or email him at cburgess@parliament.gov.za;
Write a letter to your local paper or call into talk radio explaining your concerns about the Bill; Support other events planned for the Week Of Action:
For details of other events visit www.right2know.org.za.
Contact Us
Contact the Right2Know to get involved, learn more about the campaign, let us know what you are planning, or get support:
Gauteng: March to Constitution Hill
Tuesday 19 October, 12h00 (commemorating Black Wednesday)
Gathering outside Senate House, Wits Jorissen Street, Braamfontein.
Kwazulu Natal: March to City Hall
Thursday 27 October, 8h00
Gathing at Botha’s Garden, Durban.
Western Cape: March to Parliament
Thursday 27 October, 9h30
Gatheing in Kaizersgracht Street, Cape Town
National Coordinator: Mark Weinberg Gauteng: Tendayi Sithole Kwazulu Natal: Quinton Kippen Western Cape: Nkwame Cedile
mark@amandla.org.za organiser@fxi.org.za quinton@ddpdurban.org.za nkwame.cedile@gmail.com
0214617211 0114821913 0313049305 0214617211
Stay connected through: Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Right-2-Know-Campaign/126804837369790?ref=ts); Twitter: www.twitter.com/r2kcampaign; Join the campaigns discussion group: http://groups.google.com/group/InfoAccessNow.
Stop the Secrecy Bill! Let the Truth Be Told!
