نبذة مختصرة : Kragtens die unieke menslike, normatief-gestempelde, (positiewe) keusevryheid en taalvermoë behoort dit tot die taak van die owerheid in 'n regstaat om die nodige regsbeskerming aan die sfeer van die publieke opinie te verskaf - sodanig dat die openbare meningsveld (waarby persvryheid ingesluit is) tot volle wasdom kan kom. Die veelkantigheid van die staat word mede-bepaal deur die openbare mening (publieke opinie), gedagtig aan die feit dat beide die moderne staat en die erkenning van die domein van die publieke opinie van 'n relatiewe resente herkoms is. Slegs wanneer die verskillende eiegeaarde regsfere binne 'n gedifferensieerde samelewing eerbiedig word, sal dit moontlik wees om die dinamiek van regstaat-wees mede te laat bepaal deur persoonlike en kollektiewe (party-politieke) spraakvryheid en meningsvryheid. Politieke partye funksioneer binne die openbare meningsveld met die oog daarop om mede-burgers van die staat te oortuig om 'n bepaalde program van beginsels te ondersteun, maar geen party beklee ooit self die opwerheidsamp nie. As 'n publieke regsverband wat onder leiding van 'n publieke verbandsgeregtigheidsidee geroepe is om ewewig en harmonie in die veelheid van regsbelange op sy staatsgebied te handhaaf, is die regstaat medeverantwoordelik om die sfeer van die publieke opinie juridies te beskerm. Daarsonder sal die voortbestaan van die regstaat self in die gedrang kom - soos onder meer blyk uit die probleemkante van die voorgestelde wet rakende die beskerming van inligting. By virtue of the uniquely human freedom of choice that is characterized in a normative way and expressed in the human lingual abilities, it belongs to the task of the government of a just state to provide the necessary legal protection to the sphere of public opinion, in such a way that this sphere (which includes freedom of the press) can flourish. The many-sidedness of the state is co-determined by public opinion, keeping in mind that both public opinion and the modern state emerged recently. It is only when the diverse, uniquely natured legal spheres within a differentiated society are acknowledged and respected that it will be possible to allow for the dynamics of the just state to be co-determined by personal and collective (party political) freedom of speech and of opinion. Political parties operate within the domain of public opinion with the aim to convince fellow citizens to support a specific program of principles, although no political party as such ever occupies the office of government. As a public legal institution guided by an idea of public justice the state is called to balance and harmonize the multiplicity of legal interests on its territory, entailing its co-responsibility for the legal protection of the sphere of public opinion. If this does not happen the continued existence of the state will be threatened - as it inter alia appears from problematic elements contained in die proposed "Protection of Information Bill".
Processing Request
No Comments.