Following concerns that Crime Intelligence (CI) officials are conducting surveillance and interception operations on a News24 journalist, Minister of Police Bheki Cele says he will seek further clarity on the matter from the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), according to his spokesperson Lirandzu Themba.
Security experts have warned, however, that unchecked spying powers pose serious risks to the rights of the public as well as journalists and their sources, saying security abuses such as these should be transparently investigated.