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Protest in Durban over new ‘secrecy rules’ for council meetings

Civil society organisations are on Wednesday to protest against a controversial set of rules that - if adopted - will effectively bar the public and the media from certain sittings of the eThekwini council's executive committee. The adoption of the proposed Rules of Order Amendment By-law was meant to be voted on at a full council sitting in October, but it was deferred until now. The Active Citizens Movement’s Ben Madokwe said on Tuesday that organisations opposing the proposed amendments, viewed them as “unconstitutional”. “They remove transparency with regard to certain decisions and activities of the eThekwini municipality and promote a culture of secrecy,” he said. “If they are amended, this will - in effect - mean that important decisions such as the awarding of tenders, or reports of investigations into misconduct and corruption, will be hidden from the public. It will pave the way for local government capture.”

The Active Citizens Movement, Right2Know Campaign, South Durban Community Environmental Alliance, Abahlali baseMjondolo and The Dennis Hurley Centre are among more than 25 organisations that are planning a placard demonstration, outside Durban's Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC from 9am. Members of the public are invited to attend. The municipality had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publishing.

Source: www.iol.co.za

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Protest in Durban over new ‘secrecy rules’ for council meetings

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