R2K protest at Luthuli House

Friday September 7, saw Right 2 Know campaign members braving the cold Johannesburg morning to picket at Chief Albert Luthuli House, in Johannesburg.

The R2K members consisting of freedom defenders, NGO's, activists, community members, concerned citizens and lawyers picketed peacefully in demonstration against the Protection of State Information Bill (dubbed secrecy bill) in its current form.

While the picket was done in good faith and within the perimeters of the law, employees of the African National Congress (ANC) housed at the building called "Parliamentarian Khoza" to try and get demonstrators to move the picket 100 metres away from the building which they claimed was required by the cities by-laws. They also called on the South African Police Service to join the request that the protesters relocate. A small number of staff from Luthuli House came out of their office and cursed at the demonstrators, who maintained their calm and continued to demonstrate peacefully.

Passers-by took note of the picket and some hooted and shouted in solidarity with the demonstrators.

While the campaign acknowledges that there have been a number of improvements to the bill since its introduction, the bill still falls short of the seven point freedom test, which has been the cornerstone of the campaign's opposition to the bill since its inception two years ago.

For more detail on the campaign's remaining concerns with the bill, review the Right2Know Campaign statement: What's still wrong with the secrecy bill?

More pickets of this nature are planned as follows;

Soweto

Date: Saturday 07 September
Time: 10h00 - 11h00
Location: Hector Peterson Museum square, Soweto
Contact: Bongani on 071 043 2221

Vanderbijlpark

Date: Monday 10 September
Time: 11h00 - 14h00
Location: Emfuleni Municipality, Vaal Region
Contact: Solomon on 079 991 7671