Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan will present the budget speech to Parliament on February 17 2010. Journalists will be given access to the documents in a media lock-up under police surveillance.
Lock-ups have been arranged in Cape Town and Pretoria. Leaks during the embargo are taken seriously and those found guilty may face severe consequences. Therefore the responsibility to ensure that the embargo is not broken is on journalists and editors. Information contained in the documents can only be published/aired once the embargo is lifted.
Journalists must confirm their attendance and details by no later than Friday, February 5 2010. Those attending the Cape Town lock-up can confirm their details with Lindani Mbunyuza on (012) 315 5645 or lindani.mbunyuza@treasury.gov.za. Those attending the Pretoria lock-up can confirm details with Kershia Singh on (012) 315 5819 or kershia.singh@treasury.gov.za.
ï· All office doors are to remain open at all times.
ï· Stories can be transmitted to Editors ONLY from 13:00 (with full observation of the embargo).
ï· Cellphones are to be switched off, placed in an envelope and handed over to National Treasury officials.
ï· E-mails cannot be sent during the lock-up; landline telephones must be off the hook and should not be used under any circumstances.
ï· Nobody will be allowed to leave the lock-up before the embargo is lifted.
30 (Imbizo media centre, 120 Plein Street, Cape Town). Journalists will be escorted to the venue.
ï· For access to Parliament for the speech and to broadcast from the Parliamentary precinct please send your details to erandall@parliament.gov.
The lock-up will end when Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan starts his address in Parliament.