ILLEGAL POLICE INTERFERENCE
The Board of the Alternative Information & Development Centre (AIDC) gives its fullest possible support to NUMSA's statement, issued on 3rd December, in response to the document: Exposed - Secret Regime Change Plot to Distabilize (sic) South Africa.
The Board is appalled, that within 20 years of having overthrown the apartheid police state, the security and intelligence services of democratic South Africa appear to be illegally interfering in the perfectly legal activities of various organisations and individuals.
This is the second time this year that the Board has had to defend its staff from attacks that affront our hard fought for Constitution and the liberties it guarantees all South Africans. Several months ago, Gwede Mantashe, the ANC's Secretary General, sought to intimidate our staff for being ‘white foreigners'. We reminded him then that neither being white nor foreign was illegal and that our constitution gave us the right both to disagree with him and to engage in legal activities, notwithstanding his displeasure. Alas, it seems that Mr Mantashe's displeasure has served to act as a green light for security agents to act illegally.
The Board, accordingly, applauds NUMSA's decision to lodge a formal complaint with with the Inspector- General of Intelligence, Advocate Faith Doreen Radebe. We similarly endorse NUMSA's decision to call on the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to investigate possible infringements of the rights to privacy, freedom and security by intelligence operatives.
Statement issued by MP Giyose, Chairperson, AIDC Board, December 4 2014
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