The Secrecy Bill

There’s been a lot written about South Africa’s Black Tuesday and the steamrolling of the Secrecy Bill.

Of course it will “protect the state” - by making it a criminal offence for the media to investigate and report on government fraud and corruption.

When I see 229 votes in favour of it, I wonder if there are 229 MPs with something to hide.

But few have said it better than Jed James, a musician who wrote and recorded the song Black Tuesday in two days:

These are the lyrics:

IT’S A BLACK DAY FOR A TUESDAY YOU CAN’T TAKE AWAY MY FREEDOM!

I WON’T HIDE AWAY I JUST GOTTA SAY I WON’T GIVE YOU MY FREEDOM!

WHAT ARE WE LIVING FOR? WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR? WHAT ARE WE DYING FOR? THIS IS MY RIGHT

WHAT ARE YOU HATING FOR? WHAT ARE YOU CHANGING FOR? WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE A SECOND APARTHEID?

WHEN WE BLEED, IT’S THE SAME COLOUR WHEN WE BREATHE, IT’S THE SAME AIR 17 YEARS OF FREEDOM BLOWN OUT THE WATER GONE WITH THE WIND

RAINBOW NATION BUT IT’S RAINING AND WE’RE FALLING THIS CAN’T BE RIGHT

WE HAVE ALL BEEN VICTIMS OF HATE CAN’T WE JUST LET LOVE CHANGE EVERYTHING

WHAT ARE WE LIVING FOR? WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR? WHAT ARE WE DYING FOR? THIS IS MY RIGHT

WHAT ARE YOU HATING FOR? WHAT ARE YOU CHANGING FOR? WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE A SECOND APARTHEID?

WHEN WE BLEED, IT’S THE SAME COLOUR WHEN WE BREATHE, IT’S THE SAME AIR 17 YEARS OF FREEDOM BLOWN OUT THE WATER GONE WITH THE WIND

ALL THAT WE WORKED FOR ALL THAT WE FOUGHT FOR REMEMBER WAS TO BRING US TOGETHER

WHAT ARE WE HERE FOR? WHAT DO WE LIVE FOR? ITS ALL FOR LOVE!

WHEN WE BLEED, IT’S THE SAME COLOUR WHEN WE BREATHE, IT’S THE SAME AIR 17 YEARS OF FREEDOM BLOWN OUT THE WATER GONE WITH THE WIND