Chairperson,

Let me first start by saying very loud and clear that COPE will always support the need to have laws to defend the Constitutional order of our Country.

We further want to agree that we must replace the current Act 1982 Protection of State Information Act which we all know was an Apartheid Law.

Chairperson,

Let me also commend the Members of the ANC on the Committee for standing firm in bringing some crucial amendments to the Bill. The Bill is not yet perfect, I will come to that later on.

Chairperson,

In our first public hearing in Gugulethu Cape Town, the first speaker there was a women, her name was Matilda Groepe.  She asked the Committee if Politicians had anything to hide? If there were nothing to hide it would not have been necessary for a Secrecy Bill.

She asked what would happen if someone were ever a victim of police brutality?

She answered by saying, the police will say it is none of your business, there is Protection of State Information.

Chairperson,

I can quote here today thousands of people who raised there objections against this bill.

Just a few meters away from here, is a very big red banner at the Church opposite Parliament. The banner reads as follow: “The truth will set you free.  Say no to Secrecy Bill”.

Chairperson,

I don’t have any doubt in my mind that Members of the ANC on the committee have listened to the voices of Stalwarts, Veterans of the Liberation Movement, Leaders like Prof Ben Turok, the Former Minister of Intelligence, Mr. Ronnie Kasrils, and the late Prof Kader Asmal –may his soul rest in peace.

Prominent Internationally respected Nobel Prize Winner Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu and Nobel Prize Winner Nadine Godimer with many other great leaders of this country.

And the pressure from civil society.

That’s why they stood firm in bringing this crucial amendments.

Chairperson,

Adv. George Bizos representing LRC said in his submission, I quote: “By far the main critism of the Bill has been its exclusion of a Public Defence Clause which, if included would allow Public Disclosure of classified information if public interest in such disclosure outweighs the harm to the protected interests”.

Chairperson,

COPE said many times, without a public interest defence clause in this Bill, corruption in this country will be worse than now.

At present every day whistle-blowers are blowing their whistles on wrong doing.

Our media is exposing corruption without fear or favour.  I don’t know why the ANC is scared of including this clause.

Let me just point out the danger of not having a public interest defence clause.  Some of the information that we see on a daily basis where Ministers, Senior Officials were investigated and fired because of successful journalistic investigation.

For an example the case of the former Commissioner of Police Mr. Jackie Selebi, the Public Works investigation into the renting of buildings for the Police, Former Commissioner Bheki Cele and Former Minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde, the Minister of Communications Ms Dinah Pule and then the recent case investigated by the Public Protector of Minister Tina Joemat-Petterson. 

If we pass this Bill without that clause, what will happen to our whistle-blowers and our journalist?

It’s very scary to read about the corruption in society including our Councillors, Mayors, MEC’s, Premiers and Ministers.  And now there are also serious allegations against the President of spending over R230million for Nkandla.

Why do you really want to hide the truth from the public?

Chairperson,

I want to make a last minute call to Members of this House, let’s vote against the Bill, COPE will certainly vote against the Bill.

We don’t want our children and generations to come to spit on our graves and say, here lays a traitor of our hard earned Freedom.

But let me remind the ANC that they won’t be in power for a long time, millions of people will soon vote them out of power.

I thank you