Right2Know
{{Short description|South African non-profit organisation}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Right2Know Campaign
| image = Right2Know_logo.png
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| purpose = Digital rights, activism, and access to information
| type = Nonprofit organization
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| founded_date = {{Start date and age|2010|08|}}{{cite web | url=http://www.r2k.org.za/about/ | title=Right2Know website | publisher=Right2Know | access-date=7 November 2015}}
| founders = Mark Thabo Weinberg and others{{Cite web |last=Hunter |first=Murray |date=2025-02-04 |title=Three lessons in activism from Mark Weinberg |url=https://groundup.org.za/article/three-lessons-in-activism-from-mark-weinberg/ |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=GroundUp News |language=en}}
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| location = 1st Floor Community House, 41 Salt River Rd, Salt River, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa
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| coordinates = {{Coord|-33.930076|18.457596|format=dms|type:landmark_region:ZA|display=inline,title}}
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| expenses = R3.22 million{{cite web | url=http://www.r2k.org.za/wp-content/uploads/R2K-Annual-Financial-Statements-2014-2.pdf | title=Audited Financial Statements | publisher=Right2Know | date=31 December 2014 | access-date=7 November 2015}} (2014) roughly equivalent to US$227,000
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| website = {{URL|http://www.theright2know.org}}
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The Right2Know Campaign is a South African non-profit advocacy organisation established in 2010 to reduce state secrecy in the drafting of laws, increase access to information, and protect freedom of expression especially on the internet. As part of this, the campaign monitors and challenges potential legislation that it believes would infringe on personal liberties and transparent government. It is the first such organisation of its kind in post-Apartheid South Africa.
Activism
Notable events that the Right2Know Campaign has been directly involved in include organising protests for investigations into corporate and government corruption,{{cite web | url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201510140232.html | title=South Africa: R2K Protest for Investigation Into MTN and Ramaphosa Corruption Allegations | publisher=All Africa | date=14 October 2015 | access-date=7 November 2015}} protect whistle-blowers,{{cite web | url=http://citizen.co.za/834158/anc-must-give-info-on-media/ | title=ANC 'must give info on media' | publisher=The Citizen | date=9 September 2013 | access-date=7 November 2015 | author=Yadhana Jadoo}} and campaigns to increase government accountability.
A significant success of the campaign was the calling for{{cite web | url=http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2014/11/23/right2know-wants-national-key-points-revealed | title=Right2Know wants National Key Points revealed | publisher=Times Live | date=23 November 2014 | access-date=7 November 2015}} and eventual publication by government{{cite web | url=http://www.politicsweb.co.za/party/list-of-national-key-points-released--saharight2kn | title=R2K & SAHA welcome Police Ministry's decision to release the National Key Points | publisher=Right2Know & South African History Archive | date=23 January 2015 | access-date=7 November 2015 | author=Catherine Kennedy and Murray Hunter}} of South Africa's list of national key points, thereby informing the public of which government locations in South Africa were forbidden to photograph. It was claimed by government that the controversial security upgrades to President Jacob Zuma's homestead, Nkandla, was justified as it was a listed national key point.
In October 2015, South African State Security officials issued a statement to the South African parliament accusing the Right2Know Campaign of being an agent for foreign governments and the US government in particular.{{Cite web |title=Fighting for the Right to Know in South Africa |url=https://luminategroup.com/posts/news/fighting-for-the-right-to-know-in-south-africa |access-date=2023-08-22 |website=luminategroup.com |language=en}} The Right2Know campaign denied the accusations whilst stating that it openly publishes all of its financials to the public which indicate no such link and condemned the accusation as an example of the growing securitisation of the South African parliament. It went on to point out that the South African security establishment have previously used such accusations in the past to try and explain public discontent by blaming a range of non-government organisations as foreign agents.{{cite web |author= |date=18 October 2015 |title=South Africa: R2K Response to the Securocrats - We Aren't Hiding! |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201510200469.html |access-date=7 November 2015 |website=All Africa |publisher=Right2Know}}
ICASA seems intent on closing down community radio stations{{Cite news |date=November 26, 2019 |title=Community radio stations fight to stay on air |work=The Journalist |url=https://www.thejournalist.org.za/the-craft/community-radio-stations-fight-to-stay-on-air/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |language=en-US}} and at least 29 community radio licenses were revoked in 2019 {{Cite web |title=ICASA must do more before shutting down radio stations – R2K |url=https://www.politicsweb.co.za/politics/icasa-must-do-more-before-shutting-down-radio-stat |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Politicsweb}} Community Radio takes place in a complex environmenthttps://static.pmg.org.za/docs/110922r2kpresentation3_0.pdf The Rooting R2K in Communiy Radio is a campaign intended to rebuild community media {{Cite web |date=2019-02-13 |title=R2K's '#LoveYourCommunityRadio' campaign aims to strengthen community media |url=https://www.mediaupdate.co.za/media/146166/r2ks-loveyourcommunityradio-campaign-aims-to-strengthen-community-media |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=Media Update |language=en}}
References
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Category:Political advocacy groups in South Africa
Category:Organizations established in 2010
Category:Social movements in South Africa
Category:Computer law organizations
Category:Politics and technology
Category:Freedom of expression organizations
Category:Access to Knowledge movement
Category:Digital rights organizations
Category:Non-profit organisations based in South Africa