Media Freedom In brief South Africa

Accessing of journalist's phone records enrages R2K campaign

The Right2Know Campaign (R2K) has issued a statement saying that the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act (Rica) needs to be completely overhauled following the surveillance accessing of journalist Athandiwe Saba's phone records.

The campaign stated that the accessing caused them outrage and that the Mail & Guardian revealed on 9 March 2018 that Saba's phone records were accessed by the CEO of a public agency through the use of a private investigator and a surveillance warrant.

According to R2K, the accessing of Saba's records follows a number of similar cases over the last few years.

R2K plans on joining the court case by amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism against Rica.

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