Illegal surveillance slammed
THE Information Communication Technology Union (ICTU) yesterday expressed its outrage at the unlawful conduct perpetrated against the Sekunjalo Group and called on the country’s authorities to beef up, and to fast-track, their investigations to uncover and bring to book anyone involved in these acts of intimidation and threats to life and limb.
This after a team of top Western Cape police detectives has been assembled to probe a complaint of intimidation by the executive chairperson of Sekunjalo Investment Holdings and Independent Media, Dr Iqbal Survé, after he received a text message in the early hours of the morning last month alerting him that someone had been sent to tamper with his vehicle.
The ICTU’s Thabang Mothelo said no one should live in constant fear for their life in democratic South Africa.
“The safety and security of all people have been seriously compromised in this country, where the premium on human lives is very low. It is not far-fetched to suspect the possibility of even members of the union falling under the radar of these unlawful and dangerous eavesdroppers.”
Executives of companies in Sekunjalo Investment Holdings on Monday expressed their shock and outrage following the discovery that their phones had been tapped. Also tapped were the phones of some of Survé’s family members. Charles Abrahams, a Cape Town lawyer rendering services to the group, which includes AYO Technology Solutions, Independent Media and African Equity Empowerment Investments Limited, also suspected that his phone had been illegally intercepted.
The ICTU said it had noted with grave concern reports of suspected illegal surveillance and bugging of Sekunjalo Group communication systems and possibly the mobile devices of other executives. Sekunjalo owns Independent Media, where ICTU has substantial membership.
Mothelo said the reports suggested that this illicit theft of information was enhanced by a sophisticated device planted in the office building of the Sekunjalo Group. The device is capable of covering a 50-metre radius and has the potential to penetrate servers to search, copy and transmit information to third parties without the knowledge and approval of the owner.
The latest disconcerting scandal follow reported complaints of attempted burglary when two unknown men gained unauthorised entry to the Sekunjalo offices early in the morning and were caught on security cameras.