His latest statement is that we must emulate China, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore in deciding what content local internet users can view. What incredible role models of freedom those jurisdictions are!

So we have an attempt to control the press, the introduction of internet filters to control what we view (don’t even think they’ll limit this to porn), the launching of a newspaper and working documents that state the media and press must be controlled and “transformed” into praise-singers.

Whatever freedoms the ANC stood for is looking deceased. Those blind followers take note – this is how the National Party went (no wonder Pik Botha et al joined the ANC).

You mean besides protecting the Executive from public scrutiny?

In that case no, can’t see anything: just another means of protecting vested interests and covering up the mess.

Too true, as a citzen I don’t see how this bill will help me make a more informed decision at the next election, which is i guess the whole point.

@ Hamster, whistle blowers tend to be treated as villans rather than heros, (Vavi springs to mind, as does the prof who commented on our water situation ) which is hardly encouraging to them, and an example to others

@PdV thanks for all your insights / topics I find them keen and thought provoking.

There are always two sides to a story;

http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2010/07/22/worker-fired-for-sex-change

There is no disinfectant like sunshine and the fewer secrets a country keeps the safer its citizens.

I cannot see how limiting media freedom is in any way constitutional. This is the thin end of the wedge and laws such of these should not see the light of day.

Brett already has his hands full with an Apartheid offspring in the FCA. It would appear that more and more legislation is being drafted to protect the State against the citizen and not the other way around as it should be in a constitutional democracy.

There is nothing you can say which will convince me that this Bill (and other legislation of this type) is justified or necessary. I cannot fathom how S36 can be used to protect State interests over the interests of the citizens.

With this bill it seems as if the press is going to be assumed to be guilty – of publishing ‘state secrets’ and ‘endangering the state’ and thus must expend its energy on defense and “please explain” how they got hold of this ‘truth’.

A neat bit of WWW (the favorite pastime viewing of our jaded ‘tanies’)

The effect on the media is going to be that anyone investigating any whistle-blowing, or corruption, or looking at documentary proof of mismanagement, is going to have to engage in a level of examination and self-sensorship not seen since the states of emergency.

IMHO the conviction of Jackass Selebi has sent shivers down ANC spines and they are not going to back of this Bill easily.