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- The South African National Publishers Forum has asked SAPS to ‘Iimmediately cease surveillance of journalists. ‘
- Recently it emerged that the police had launched an investigation into the leaking of documents to journalists, amid the fallout from Crime Intelligence.
- The home of Daily Maverick journalist Marianne Thamm was broken into a day after the investigation was approved and two Daily Maverick laptops were stolen.
The South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) has fired shots at the South African Police Service, calling on it “to immediately cease surveillance of journalists.”
In a statement, it said illegal wiretapping could compromise whistleblowers and media sources.
“This has undermined the rule of law and is a stark warning of the dangers to the democratic future promoted by the Constitution.”
News24 previously reported on the alleged illegal surveillance of its investigative journalist Jeff Wicks, who has been at the forefront of coverage of riots within the police, and the aftermath at CI following the murder of Lt. Col. Charl Kinnear.
READ | Police investigate ‘leak of information to the media’
Also covering the battle of CI is Daily maverick journalist Marianne Thamm, whose home was raided a day after a police investigation was approved into the “… continuous leak” of documents to the media.
The Daily Maverick made it clear in an editorial that it was not charging anyone with the crime and that it had no evidence that the raid on Thamm’s home was in any way related to the note distributed to police the day before.
However, Thamm said the robbery had raised concerns that the police were targeting journalists.
Sanef said: “Wicks and Thamm are investigative journalists in the country covering the most volatile battle in the SAPS, within the criminal intelligence division, they are the target. Coverage of the challenge for power in the key division of SAPS criminal intelligence is in the public interest, considering the massive impact it has on the lives of South African citizens.
Journalists had to continue to hold law enforcement accountable if leaders acted outside the law, he added.
Lives
“By covering the battle at the top and probing the state of SAPS, journalists are helping to bring stability to the lives of ordinary SAPS members so they can focus on fighting crime, rather than suffering at the hands of leaders. uncompromising and corrupt. “
Sanef would write to Police Minister Bheki Cele and President Cyril Ramaphosa requesting that if someone is found to have abused positions of power by ordering the illegal surveillance of journalists, they should be treated seriously.
“We want Minister Cele to bring order within the criminal intelligence division and avoid targeting journalists in any surveillance because the journalists’ sources must be protected.”
It is unclear whether the journalists will also be investigated as part of the police investigation.
The investigation, confirmed by police spokesman Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo, appears to have been launched following allegations that a document was leaked to Thamm.
In an editorial published on Friday, the Daily Maverick revealed that a note had been sent to the “… upper echelon of criminal intelligence and its counterintelligence desk” about the leaking of documents to journalists, specifically Thamm.
READ | Crime Intelligence to investigate the ‘microphone’ of a News24 journalist
The editorial noted that the document cited in the note had been filed as part of a judicial request by Lt. Gen. Peter Jacobs and, as such, was easily accessible.
Daily maverick He also alleged that the day after the note was sent, Thamm’s home was broken into and two laptops with Daily maverick the stickers were stolen. The house was ransacked. While some smaller items of value, such as a ring, were stolen, many others were left behind.
The editorial also noted that:
Spying on and investigating journalists who are simply doing their job is not legal in South Africa. Prior authority for surveillance of any person must be obtained from an appointed judge. The barrier to such permission, specifically with respect to journalists, has recently been lifted, substantially by the Constitutional Court.
News24 also contacted the police to comment on the investigation into the leaks, concerns about the surveillance and investigation of the journalists, as well as the robbery of Thamm’s home.
Dripping
Faced with this inquiry, Naidoo said: “It is the responsibility of the SAPS to protect the sovereignty of the State. It has come to light in the recent past that there is a continuous leak of information to the media that questions the integrity of the people inside That said, this leak of information has led to an investigation in an effort to protect the sovereignty of the State. “
Nadioo also reiterated his message in the Daily Maverick article that, “… the fact that this latest document was leaked to [Daily Maverick] it reinforces the need to investigate these leaks but this time, with even greater urgency ”.
When News24 pressed Naidoo to clarify whether the investigation would be extended to journalists, he said: “That is my response. It does not say anywhere in my response that journalists are under investigation. It speaks to the integrity of SAPS members who It is questioned. “
Naidoo declined to comment further.
The investigation comes as Crime Intelligence Acting Chief Lt. Gen. Yolisa Mokgabudi requested an investigation into allegations that Wicks was wiretapped.
The operation is believed to have been launched to establish Wicks’ sources through the use of a “grabber,” a device that can track and trace cell phones. Wicks has been covering disputes within the police and criminal intelligence, following the murder of Kinnear.
When asked how the investigation of the leaked documentation was related to Mokgabudi’s request, Naidoo said: “I don’t know anything about it. I was not contacted for comment when News24 released the story, nor was I informed about anything about it.” .
– Additional information from Nicole McCain
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