Not only has his deputy and former communications minister, the ANC's Mondli Gungubele, blasted him for announcing he was withdrawing the bill, but now minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who is also a former communications minister, has alleged he does not have the power to do so. Malatsi is senior Democratic Alliance MP, who was appointed as communications minister in the GNU by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Ntshavheni said "It's not a private member's bill, it's not Mr Malatsi's bill. It's a bill of cabinet and the executive, so in terms of the law he cannot withdraw it without coming to cabinet to agree for its withdrawal.
"That bill was submitted to parliament after it was submitted to cabinet. The cabinet secretariat and the leader of government business will deal with that matter in the next cabinet meeting, because there's no minister that can withdraw it - even myself, I can't withdraw any bill which has been approved by cabinet," she said.
"Whatever limitations he might find in the bill, he must come and convince cabinet" why it should be withdrawn.
SOS, MMA and Sanef collectively made a submission to parliament in January this year in which they expressed deep concerns regarding the bill. The organisations pointed out "a series of catastrophic and unconstitutional flaws" with the draft legislation and said it should be withdrawn.
