A heap of State secrets held in the tate security archives will be declassified once a new protection of information law is passed, State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele said on Thursday.

Cwele told journalists at a briefing in Cape Town that the Protection of Information Bill would, for the first time, create a clear mechanism to declassify information.

"There will be a lot of declassification of information once the bill is passed.

"I am sure the media will have a lot to write about once that information has been declassified."

He said that the bill allowed for the protection of certain information, but this would be done in the interests of the country. There will however be "no blanket secrecy" as there is now.

"There will be clear guidelines on why information remains classified, but there will be no blanket secrecy."

The bill does propose sanctions for those who dare steal the information which is classified, he said, but this was no threat to journalists who stumbled on sensitive information.

"It doesn't necessarily mean that as journalist you will be prosecuted if you come across information. If you bring it back to us you are not a criminal."

Jeff Maqetuka, the DG of State Security, said that the bill was an opportunity for the free flow of information to society as a whole.

"It makes it more structured now and it creates avenues of clarification as to how the public in general can access information.

"I don't think the media should fear the protection of information bill would make your life more difficult. I believe it will make life easier."

On border security, Cwele said that a new border agency would "close gaps" on the sharing of information between different ports of entry.

"The challenge is that departments don't play their parts, which is why we are moving towards an agency which brings an integrated approach," he said.

"By month end we should have this link so that while sitting in Pretoria, they will know what is going on at King Shaka International Airport and Cape International Harbour.

"The information can then be integrated and moved to national joint operating centres, where there can be action.

"We are closing gaps."