President Zuma not ready to comment on the info bill

Imogen Vollenhoven
26 April 2013

Presidential Spokesperson Mac Maharaj today said President Jacob Zuma will not comment on the Protection of Information Bill until he has been advised by the legislature. 

This follows the passing of the bill by the National Assembly on Thursday.

Opposition parties and civil society have called for the bill to go to the Constitutional Court.

Maharaj the legislature and judiciary and executive are three arms of government and it would be premature and inappropriate for president to comment on the matter, until he has been formally advised by the legislature of the bill and called upon to enact it into law.

 

Furthermore Maharaj explained that, that is when the matter will receive his attention.

Meanwhile the Ministry of State Security has welcomed the latest developments on the Protection of State Information Bill. 

The ministry said it believes the bill now creates a better balance between the constitutional provisions of access to information and the limitation of that access in the interest of advancing national security.

Ministry of State Security Spokesperson Brian Dube said at this stage this is a very much improved bill and it takes into account most of the concerns raised in relation to the limited public interest defended offers issues around corruption and criminal activities and it also gives added protection to whistle blowers.

He added that all these things make it a much better bill, a bill that all of us should be able to find a way of working around and ensuring that it keeps our country safe and expose corruption.