ATI needs effective implementation If the words of deputy minister of information Stanley Simataa are anything to go by, then the long-awaited Access to Information law will be a reality around this time next year. Credit should go to government for working on this piece of legislation, which really augurs well for our democracy. It has been long overdue. Albeit a little too late, it is good news nevertheless, especially for members of the Fourth Estate, who have been petitioning government and lawmakers to introduce such a law. The Access to Information law is not only going to benefit the media, who will now have to access to state-held information, but also the citizens who will able to make informed decisions and hold government and elected representatives directly accountable. In fact, government will have no longer have a monopoly on the information that informs its actions and decisions. It is true that several politicians, including ministers, have always maintained an open-door policy when it comes to sharing information with journalists. There are very few of these politicians who really understand the media’s role in a democracy. However, the culture of secrecy in government is well-documented, with officials often stingy with information that is in the public interest. At this stage we can ill-afford to have an uninformed society where citizen participation is left wanting due to the lack of access to crucial government information. And as Advocate Pansy Tlakula, chairperson and special rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa said, the most important thing here is how government will fare in the implementation of such a law. Indeed political commitment is required for effective implementation and we support her call that an independent body must be established with proper enforcement powers where members of the public who have been denied information can report their grievances. Finally, it is our sincere hope that government information will be immediately and unconditionally available in upholding the constitutional values of transparency, openness, participation and accountability.ATI needs effective implementation If the words of deputy minister of information Stanley Simataa are anything to go by, then the long-awaited Access to Information law will be a reality around this time next year. Credit should go to government for working on this piece of legislation, which really augurs well for our democracy. It has been long overdue. Albeit a little too late, it is good news nevertheless, especially for members of the Fourth Estate, who have been petitioning government and lawmakers to introduce such a law. The Access to Information law is not only going to benefit the media, who will now have to access to state-held information, but also the citizens who will able to make informed decisions and hold government and elected representatives directly accountable. In fact, government will have no longer have a monopoly on the information that informs its actions and decisions. It is true that several politicians, including ministers, have always maintained an open-door policy when it comes to sharing information with journalists. There are very few of these politicians who really understand the media’s role in a democracy. However, the culture of secrecy in government is well-documented, with officials often stingy with information that is in the public interest. At this stage we can ill-afford to have an uninformed society where citizen participation is left wanting due to the lack of access to crucial government information. And as Advocate Pansy Tlakula, chairperson and special rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa said, the most important thing here is how government will fare in the implementation of such a law. Indeed political commitment is required for effective implementation and we support her call that an independent body must be established with proper enforcement powers where members of the public who have been denied information can report their grievances. Finally, it is our sincere hope that government information will be immediately and unconditionally available in upholding the constitutional values of transparency, openness, participation and accountability.