The breaking in that occurred at the house belonging to the Intelligent Minister’s home where laptops containing sensitive information were stolen is a cry for concern .But this should in no way become an emphasising motive to push forward the introducing of the Protection of Information Bill.
Understanding that state information should be kept safe and secure and the theft that happened is evident that more security measures should be in place for such incidents .The PIB is not the way as more than the ‘sensitive information ‘ will be protected .
Understanding that the bill seeks to balance, it is not everything that requires protection, as South African citizens we are being made to believe that only valuable ‘information such as ID numbers, bank accounts details and preventing fraudulent marriages is the reason why this bill is being introduced. Everyone is certain that state information must be protected but we must ensure that this Bill has very limited application, only to the state security institutions such as the intelligence unit and that there is a public interest override.
The new proposal of the General Intelligent Bill is another bill that should be review properly. Our government should be transparent and as citizens of this country we must ensure that our rights to know are not infringed.
Only a handful of African counties, seven out of 54 have adopted national access to information laws. This law that is being proposed is challenged by all members of civil society and those in favour of it is because they haven’t read it and understood it to the core.
Let's seek out to protect our rights; conferred by the Constitution, one of the best in the world, South Africa has always been respected because of it.
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