Those of you unfamiliar with the legislative processes of our lovely republic will be shocked, shocked to learn that Parliament is currently processing a Bill (i.e., a law, for those of you without a thesaurus) that will empower the state to implement criminal proceedings against any citizen deemed to have disclosed classified information. Even in casual conversation.

Well that’s fairly standard, surely? Yeah, sure. But the Bill makes it much, much easier for almost any government department to classify information, from your municipality to the Natal Sharks Board.

We’re talking an almost farcical level of censorship, on a par with the levels of state control that we lived through during apartheid. Under the new Bill, if you disclose classified information (here’s looking at you, every journalist in the world), you can face up to 25 years in prison.

So why would we need this Bill? Well, we don’t.And the likes of Des Tutu, Nadine Gordimer, Kader Asmal, Pieter Dirk Uys, Zakes Mda, et al agree.

Which is why we had the Right To Know Campaign in the studio to talk about what we, the movers and shakers of South African society, can do.

So head over to their website for details on Right To Know marches, launch parties and general civic shenanigans in your city.

And while you’re at it, sign this verified petition. It has close to 40 000 signatures already.

Police states, they don’t really combine so well with the “living the holiday” vibe, much less that crazy “democracy” idea.