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The Southern African Freelancers’ Association (Safrea) is extremely concerned about the possibility of the passing of the Information Bill.

"As workers in the media we believe our industry and therefore our jobs are threatened by this bill as well as by the proposed Media Tribunal, both of which seem to signify a growing intolerance towards the free press,” says Safrea chairperson Georgina Guedes.

“Access to information – especially that relating to government – is the foundation upon which free media can be built.

“By passing a bill restricting access to this information, which can be broadly interpreted, the government of South Africa will be striking a harsh blow against the free press,” says Guedes.

The bill is bad news not just for media practitioners, but for South Africans as a whole. Members of the public seem to view it as a battle between the media and government and do not fully realise that they can be left in the dark about important matters that concern them without a media that is allowed to report freely, she says.

“As an organisation representing a broad spectrum of media freelancers, we are particularly concerned about steps by the South African government to curtail media freedom, as we are not backed by publishing houses and legal teams, and concerns about red tape and potential penalties could severely hamper necessary investigations,” says Guedes.

Section 32 of the Constitution clearly states that everyone has the right of access to any information held by the state and any information that is held by another person and that is required for the exercise or protection of any rights. Section 16 of the Constitution states that everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which includes freedom of the press and other media.

“Safrea supports the Right 2 Know Campaign and adds its voice to the calls for Government to reconsider its current position on media freedom,” says Guedes.