Cape Town – An internal parliamentary note listing draft laws passed in the legislature’s fourth term sparked unfounded rumours on Thursday that the protection of state information bill had been signed into law, a spokesperson said.

“It was an internal e-mail, referring to bills passed. This is how confusion arose,” Luzuko Jacobs told Sapa.

“The bill has not been signed by the President.”

The National Assembly in November passed the bitterly-contested official secrets legislation with a host of technical amendments, after President Jacob Zuma sent it back to MPs for review.

Critics have called for a comprehensive rewrite and reiterated threats to challenge the law in the Constitutional Court if Zuma were to sign it in its present form.

SAPA