The new Protection of Information Bill is not intended to shackle the press, writes Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils in the Mail & Guardian. "The starting point of the Protection of Information Bill is that excessive secrecy harms security and that the flow of information is necessary to promote security," he writes.

The government has no interest in hampering investigative journalists, and in fact the bill criminalises the false classification of information to cover up incompetence and corruption, he says.

 In fact, the bill contains many mechanisms to improve access to information.

 

Click here to read the full comment, published on M&G online.ÂÂÂ