Lobby Groups Accused Of Not Doing Enough

BABOKI KAYAWE
Staff Writer | Monday May 10, 2010 00:00

During the commemoration of this year's World Press Freedom Day, social commentator, Log Raditlhokwa, blamed lobby groups for not creating a conducive environment for the enactment of this legislation.

Raditlhokwa said such a law is in the public's interest and also strengthens democracy, and while government is not against the law being enacted, it does have things to hide and is aware that through access to certain information people will be able to fight the system.

'We could be saying it's overdue if we had created conditions that enabled it to be enacted,' he emphasised.

He called for networks of people who can put pressure to be established to accelerate its enactment. He added that those who believe in democracy have to work hard and organise themselves in achieving the desired impact. He said it does not help when people resort to complaining but not try to come up with solutions to problems.

'If we don't come together and speak with a collective voice we will lose the country,' he said.

He said opposition politics is divided while civil society is fragmented and has thus not been able to protect the country's democracy. Another panellist, Sidney Pilane said the media as the fourth estate has a duty to gather and communicate information to the public as it has (public) the right to know. However, he said in many instances people do not know where to obtain information citing judicial information, which he said the courts are always ready to provide upon request. He also said people do not know that they have an entitlement to information and that where necessary they could obtain the information through litigation.

Pilane said the media could employ the parliamentary rights that legislatures have to get some of the information that government would not avail to media practitioners. He said what has to be done is to motivate them into asking questions in parliament, which could in turn be used by the media to generate public debate and opinion.