Set the Apartheid Secrets Free: Statement in Solidarity with SAHA

A coalition of organisations and individuals supports the South African History Archive (SAHA) in a legal battle against the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) in the Bloemfontein Supreme Court of Appeal. The appeal seeks the release of records regarding apartheid-era economic crimes and challenges the SARB's refusal to comply with the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA). The signatories highlight the risk of a 'chilling effect' on civil society due to a High Court order requiring SAHA to pay R2.7 million in legal fees.

• The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) is accused of protecting individuals implicated in human rights abuses and economic crimes, such as Wouter Basson and Vito Palazzolo, by denying access to investigation records.
• The signatories argue that the SARB has refused access to information without a reasoned basis and is ignoring the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA).
• The South Gauteng High Court ordered SAHA to pay R2.7 million in legal fees to the SARB, a decision the signatories claim could bankrupt SAHA and discourage other civil society organisations from pursuing public interest records in court.

APA

Sooka, Y., Ntsebeza, D., Burton, M., Aggett, J., Essop, S., Andersson, G., Fritz, N., & O’Sullivan, G. (2020). Set the Apartheid Secrets Free: Statement in Solidarity with SAHA. Public Affairs Research Institute. https://pari.org.za/set-the-apartheid-secrets-free-statement-in-solidarity-with-saha/

Chicago

Sooka, Yasmin, Dumisa Ntsebeza, Mary Burton, Jill Aggett, Salim Essop, Gavin Andersson, Nicole Fritz, and Gerald O’Sullivan. Set the Apartheid Secrets Free: Statement in Solidarity with SAHA. Public Affairs Research Institute, 2020. https://pari.org.za/set-the-apartheid-secrets-free-statement-in-solidarity-with-saha/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Sooka |first1=Yasmin |last2=Ntsebeza |first2=Dumisa |last3=Burton |first3=Mary |last4=Aggett |first4=Jill |last5=Essop |first5=Salim |last6=Andersson |first6=Gavin |last7=Fritz |first7=Nicole |last8=O’Sullivan |first8=Gerald |title=Set the Apartheid Secrets Free: Statement in Solidarity with SAHA |publisher=Public Affairs Research Institute |date=3 March 2020 |url=https://pari.org.za/set-the-apartheid-secrets-free-statement-in-solidarity-with-saha/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{sooka2020set, author = {Sooka, Yasmin and Ntsebeza, Dumisa and Burton, Mary and Aggett, Jill and Essop, Salim and Andersson, Gavin and Fritz, Nicole and O’Sullivan, Gerald}, title = {{Set the Apartheid Secrets Free: Statement in Solidarity with SAHA}}, publisher = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, year = {2020}, month = mar, url = {https://pari.org.za/set-the-apartheid-secrets-free-statement-in-solidarity-with-saha/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }