DA in ‘secrecy bill’ jibe at Joburg ANC

An ANC supporter holds a flag of the ANC while the President Jacob Zuma addresses ANC Gauteng Cadre Assembly in Pretoria. Picture: Phill Magakoe

An ANC supporter holds a flag of the ANC while the President Jacob Zuma addresses ANC Gauteng Cadre Assembly in Pretoria. Picture: Phill Magakoe

Published Jul 28, 2012

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The ANC in the City of Johannesburg wants a secrecy bill for the municipality, the DA said on Friday.

“Last night (Thursday), the (ANC) in the City of Johannesburg proposed that the city develop its own secrecy rules,” spokesman Mmusi Maimane said.

He said ANC councillor Sol Cowan proposed the drafting of rules which would allow the city to classify certain documents as “sensitive”, making them unavailable for public disclosure.

The DA and all other opposition parties on the city council were opposed to the proposal, Maimane said. The ANC refused to debate the matter, and the opposition staged a walkout.

“The only motivation for implementing such rules is to cover up corruption and maladministration,” Maimane said.

The ANC wanted the secrecy rules after the DA questioned the legality of contracts the city entered into for the hosting of the Miss World competition in 2008 and 2009, he said.

Maimane said more than R120 million was spent on the two events. The contracts were placed before the municipal public accounts committee after the DA demanded to see them for two years, but on condition that MPAC members sign a confidentiality agreement.

The DA refused to sign the confidentiality agreement. – Sapa

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