HOME AFFAIRS ARROGANCE OVER FREEDOM OF SPEECH CONCERNS
A representative of the Department of Home Affairs has arrogantly dismissed concerns about the controversial proposed anti-porn bill, which was submitted to it by an organisation called the Justice Alliance of South Africa (JASA).
Thami Msomi, Head of the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs’ office, refused to consider the concerns expressed in a letter from SA GLAAD’s Cobus Fourie to the department.
In the letter, Fourie implores the Deputy Minister, Malusi Gigaba, to take “the constitution’s spirit of freedom into consideration and leave parental control to those it was designed for: Parents.”
He also compares the proposed bill to apartheid-era attempts to restrict freedom of speech and expresses his concern that the department is giving too much credence to JASA ,which he describes as “a small fringe group of religious fundamentalists with clear ulterior motives”.
On its website, JASA says that it is “a coalition of corporations, individuals and churches committed to upholding and fighting for justice and the highest moral standards in South African society”.
“If the Justice Alliance gets its way, South Africa will be lumped in with countries like China, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and the Gaza Strip; quite an unenviable achievement – and quite a step backwards in terms of democracy,” says Fourie.
The response from Msomi was brief and dismissive.
He writes, “Whilst we appreciate and respect your views, it is quite obvious that we share different and conflicting value systems and opinions on this and other matters”.
Msomi adds further: “Perhaps we should just acknowledge our different viewpoints in this regard and leave matters at that.”
Fourie said that he was shocked by the haughty response.
“The lack of a spirit of cooperation and the blatant authoritarian stance displayed is completely unacceptable,” he told Mambaonline.
“I would hope the minister would take heed of the spirit of the constitution and embrace citizen involvement rather than clamming up and not seeing the wood for the trees. Right wing groups like the JASA do not own Government nor should they usurp public opinion,” he said.
Last week Gigaba announced that he was working with JASA on the bill which would ban all adult material on the internet and cell-phones in South Africa.
1984’s Anti-sex league. Such behaviour is not only reminiscent of an Orwellian state like Oceania, it could be construed as a giant leap towards authoritarianism.
The High School Head Boy pictured here looks like a stickler for supposed “morality.”
South Africa is already world-renowned for its duplicity.
The issue is not about porn at all, au contraire – the state has NO place dictating private moral choices!
morals up fo sale. There seems to be an large base in the governing party wanting to reintroduce social conservatism. We no longer have the moral voices of people like Desmond Tutu to speak out against these moves.
It would be a joke if it were not so disgusting to think that ther is a “moral” element in our government at all. I definitely will not follow the moral advice of such immoral people . My morals and principles are not for sale as they are with our politicialns
Home Affairs Bill. Oh yes, Gigaba is probably quite correct about their sharing different value systems.The value systems of the ANC today encompass mainly corruption on a monumental scale, tenderpreneurs,looting of state assets,the reduction of all institutions of state into cesspools of waste, ineffectiveness, nepotism, corruption arrogance and total disfunctionality. Of course Home Affairs is a prime example of just such a value system esposed by Malusi. But of course what could one expect from one such as Malusi who is an avid supporter of Malema, who so typifies the current value sytem of the ANC.
Anti-Porn. With the proliferation of pornography in every medium of society today is beyond parents to control same. Bill Boards, Mobile Phones et al…it behoves the state to intervene.
I support state intervention.
Fascism. With all due respect RK,
moves like those touted by the Deputy Minister is true blue Fascism.
Have you had a look at the Justice Alliance of South Africa and the equally disgusting Doctors For Life?
Do you wish to return to the Nats-style Big Brother government?
See the bigger picture here.
‘Nuff said.