Pretoria, South Africa, Aug 31, 2010 / 23:05 pm
Media restrictions proposed with the stated intention of protecting the public good are causes for “serious concerns,” the Southern African Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) has commented. Warning that the proposed law is so broad that it threatens the free press, the bishops called for its complete redrafting.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) party has backed a bill which would punish reporters for “irresponsible and misleading reporting.” It defended the proposal as necessary to protect the national interest.
The proposed law defines “national interest” to include “all matters relating to the advancement of public good,” the Christian Science Monitor reports. It also protects the trade secrets of the state including “profits, losses or expenditures of any person.”
Exposure of such secrets is punishable by jail terms of three to five years.