LIVE | Dr Sifolo addresses the tension between media freedom and national security
Sifolo had initially sought to testify behind closed doors but subsequently agreed to allow certain documents to be used during the commission’s public hearings.
Dr Ntandazo Sifolo, the Acting Coordinator of the National Intelligence Coordinating Committee (NICOC), has addressed the complex relationship between media freedom and national security. He stressed the media's duty to keep the public informed while safeguarding state security.
Initially, Sifolo intended to testify behind closed doors. However, he later agreed to the inclusion of certain documents in the commission's public hearings. These proceedings, documented in three annexures, clearly delineate what can be used during questioning, displayed publicly, and reserved for private sessions.
Annexure A allows documents to be used in questioning Sifolo and other witnesses during open hearings, but they cannot be publicly displayed. Annexure C, on the other hand, permits documents to be used in public hearings and displayed at the discretion of the evidence leader. However, Annexure B imposes stricter limitations on material Sifolo has withheld from public hearings. These documents are only allowed to be used for questioning during in-camera proceedings.
The framework was established following a ruling by commission chairperson, retired Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga. NICOC, responsible for coordinating intelligence assessments across government, finds Sifolo's testimony crucial to the commission's examination of intelligence-related issues.
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