The SA National Editors Forum (Sanef) has welcomed the decision of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) to form an ad hoc committee on the Protection of State Information Bill.

"The NCOP now has an opportunity fully to consider the ways in which the Bill fails our democracy, and to remedy them," Sanef said in a statement on Thursday.

Sanef said it would made submissions to the NCOP on its outstanding areas of concern.

The National Council of Provinces established a special ad hoc committee on Thursday to deal with the Protection of State Information Bill.

In terms of a motion adopted by the House, the committee will report to the council by April 8.

As was the case when a National Assembly ad hoc committee dealt with the bill, the ANC will have a comfortable majority in the NCOP committee.

The ANC will have 10 members, the Democratic Alliance two, and the Congress of the People, Inkatha Freedom Party, and Independent Democrats one each.

The bill was approved in the Assembly on Tuesday and was referred to the NCOP for concurrence.

The opposition parties are expected to attempt to have a public interest defence clause inserted into the bill during the NCOP process.