the people voted these idiots in .. the people should vote them out

John Sithole you know nothing of which you speak. Are you then in favour of corruption? The media is our watchdog, you obviously dont even read your own mail. Dont be blind to corruption, what else do you suppose this secrecy bill is about? THE MONEY FOR DEVELOPMENT IS GOING INTO THE WRONG HANDS, that is government corruption, of the worst kind. Your own poor people are being robbed and this is going to be hidden by this heinous bill. WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW...DONT MUZZLE THE INFORMERS.

What Happened to our constitution and freddom of Speech? Transparency is what we need. The Nation and people of South Africa need to know the truth about how to run a gonverment properly, with ideals and values that are entrench our society. That is accountability to who and what we are

Who would have throught that the ANC would so quickly turn into the Apartheid government that they fought so hard against. If it took them only 16 years then what is still lying ahead for us. We will have to fight the ANC as they fought the NP. Maybe then we will be free from the evil.

For all the ANC superheroes on here lamenting about how we should allow them to just enforce this bill...remember this, our president was elected by us, he did not obtain this title because of a bloodline. So, he is a person elected by the people, for the service of the people. This means he and his government are servants of the country, not the other way around. Another thing you should maybe consider, had this media bill been enforced a month ago, you would never have heard of the corruption within the DA led Midvaal, that too would have been covered up. But, I dont see the ANC supporters agreeing to silencing acts over other parties indiscretions. Remember, we are the voice of the country, they have to listen to us.

Voters of SA take note. Zuma and his cadres are the same as dictators elsewhere in Africa. They enrich themselves through corruption, and when democratic media tries to tell the voters what is happening, and who is stealing what, they get silenced. This has been the African way - the chief and indunas own all - the masses are stupid and expendable.

There is a deeper issue here as well: all of the ANC members of parliament suffered under draconian apartheid era legislation. All of them were muzzled by it, directly or their loved ones were. All of them faced down this vicious, dehumanising system with courage and dignity. And yet: And yet, here the same people are, the same ones who will revel in their roles in defeating apartheid; the same ones who allegedly had a vision for a better South Africa, a free South Africa, a GOOD South Africa – these same people will, for the sake of muzzling freedom and allowing evil men and women to continue plundering South Africa. These same people will vote to crucify South Africa at the altar of political expedience. Is it that they have feet of clay? Is it that they are not really heroes after all, but simply opportunists with no moral backbone, no moral fibre? Is it that they simply lack the ability to see just how damaging this legislation will be for South Africa? Or is it that they simply have no common human decency that allows them to rise above the trough of self interest and the bling brigade? Don't expect a coherent or dignified response from the proponents of this filthy ruse.

the ANC is so corrupt it has to pass a bill to hide it! disgusting! truly disgusting!! we will not stand for this >:( not in this country!!! NEVER!!!THEY CANT LOCK US ALL UP!!

Hi South Africa let us refrane from being use by unknown phases. This is no longer democracy or transparency you now want our country to be naked. Viva ANC viva. do not conceed to this selfish media. They must start by disclosing their sensetive stories before concentrating on personal life of other people. The quality of journalism has gone from bad to worse because it is more people centered with the aim of damaging their reputation. If we feel that we have the right to know about other people what about their right of having privacy. Remember that the more you concentrate on other people's affairs yours suffers. That is why we are having so many unhappy people because they are sitting and wainting for somebody to make a mistake and buy an individual's view point because heshe happen to have access to the mass communication media. Do not forget that what this journalist write about they ad their view point whether is right or wrong it does not matter. They are in business of keeping us thinking and moaning .

SO what happens if the BBC World Service, Al Jazeerah or CNN gets hold of a juicy story and publishes it? Will Zuma and the ANC go the North Korea-Zimbabwe route of banning all foreign media? @Benji - you're sad, brother. Trying to defend something that even ANC veterans and the Unions don't want shows how far the rot has set in.

Must say I agree with David's previous comment. If the government is going to keep information which, as a member of the public, I may be entitled to or may need to know,then screw the government organisations who want my information. It's private...

Have heard that there are 264 ANC members of parliament out of 400 . So they have made it compulsory for every ANC member to attend today. All we can hope for is that it is a hidden vote, and that there are some ANC who are enlightened and will vote anti this heinous bill.

So will you also tell us which journalist or newspaper was found guilty by the ombudsman(laugh)or SANEF? Does the sword not cut both ways? What happened to freedom of speech does not exempt you from freedom of consequences of your actions. But congrats, you have successfully created a minority of followers that have strong opinions not about the Bill but the ANC....

@benji, assumption is the mother of all ..... I have indeed read the new law, and am not just acting on what the media has said. So I am sure has many others that are taking up their civil duty - it's not just the media that is frightened of this apartheid style silencing secrecy act. If you had been paying attention you can see even ANC supporters, such as Tutu, Casrils have spoken out against it. So do not just make assumptions and proclaim it as truth if you clearly haven't done your homework. Just on a side, have you actually studied the new law that you are supporting so vigirously or are you just an ANC supporter, that believes blindly what they are saying about the law?

With something as trivial as to answer a question on when and at what cost a minister stayed at a stupidly expensive hotel being classified as "a security risk" one can just be frightened of what else can be classifed under this new law. Government should be ashamed as this law is almost worse than some of the old Apartheid laws. Yes, it is indeed akin to Black Thursday when the apartheid government banned certain newspapers.

It is a simple process...read your trusted paper and see what it all implies. The papers are going to be muzzled. Muzzled from telling on any corruption that they find out about. Whats more...the journalist who finds this out will be prosecuted just for knowing about it !!! We will become a police state and..as in Nazi Germany..our neighbours could tell on us if we gossip. This is a heinous bill...read about it and then WAKE UP South Africa. Fight for the FREEDOM TO KNOW the RIGHT TO KNOW...we will be living in a doomed country. Politicians will literally GET AWAY WITH MURDER.

@john, yes, that is a good idea, and would probably be the choice for newshouses. However, the only problem is that they need to be in SA to gather a lot of that information. If found with it, that would be deemed treason. Thats an issue. The bill would given its present make up allow the state to regulate the access to internet as well.

Benji get a life you blind sheep. It is idiots like you who are ruining this country. If this bill is passed then all I can say is: death to the ANC!

None of you anti- ANC morons have any idea what the content of this bill is however just because it is the ANC that is proposing it it is wrong. Get a life all of you. Some of you are calling for Egyptian style uprisings and I can promise you in this beautiful and free SA it will not happen. The media has ill informed you out of desperation and want you to fight their battle for them. If they publish wrong stuff how does it get made right when the news is out there already ? They need to write more factual well reseached stories other than there opinion which is in any case anti-ANC.I am a proud South African and support this bill to the fullest. Stop making noise and help build our country. The ANC is here to stay and getting stronger.

Our MP including President Mshini wam, know that we will scream and shout, with placards and at the end of the day the bill will be passed, the noise will subside. However if there is one thing, they will listen to and that will stop them in their tracks, is riots, thats the only thing they will listen to. Talking and shouting, doesnt bother them one bit.