Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      Blue Label Telecoms to change its name as restructuring gathers pace

      11 July 2025

      Get your ID delivered like pizza – home affairs’ latest digital shake-up

      11 July 2025

      EFF vows to stop Starlink from launching in South Africa

      11 July 2025

      Apple plans product blitz to reignite growth

      11 July 2025

      Nissan doubles down on South Africa despite plant uncertainty

      11 July 2025
    • World

      Grok 4 arrives with bold claims and fresh controversy

      10 July 2025

      Bitcoin pushes higher into record territory

      10 July 2025

      Cupertino vs Brussels: Apple challenges Big Tech crackdown

      7 July 2025

      Grammarly acquires e-mail start-up Superhuman

      1 July 2025

      Apple considers ditching its own AI in Siri overhaul

      1 July 2025
    • In-depth

      Siemens is battling Big Tech for AI supremacy in factories

      24 June 2025

      The algorithm will sing now: why musicians should be worried about AI

      20 June 2025

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025

      MultiChoice may unbundle SuperSport from DStv

      12 June 2025

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025
    • TCS

      TCS+ | MVNX on the opportunities in South Africa’s booming MVNO market

      11 July 2025

      TCS | Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network

      7 July 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan

      4 July 2025

      TCS | Tech, townships and tenacity: Spar’s plan to win with Spar2U

      3 July 2025

      TCS+ | First Distribution on the latest and greatest cloud technologies

      27 June 2025
    • Opinion

      In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

      30 June 2025

      E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

      30 June 2025

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025

      Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

      13 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » News » Bapela defends BlackBerry interception plans

    Bapela defends BlackBerry interception plans

    By Editor5 September 2011
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp
    Obed Bapela

    Government is not specifically targeting BlackBerry maker Research in Motion in its proposed attempts to allow law enforcement agencies, through the courts, to intercept the communications of the text messages of suspected criminals, communications deputy minister Obed Bapela says.

    On Monday, Bapela told delegates at Telkom’s annual Satnac conference in East London that government was considering a change to legislation to allow the SA Police Service to get access, through court orders, to the records of people using the popular BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) service.

    He said “a lot of criminality” was happening on BBM, an instant messaging platform for BlackBerry smartphones that has caught on like wildfire in SA in recent years.

    “We might have to follow Britain and Saudi Arabia to say we need to have [access to] a decryption system if crimes are committed [using the BlackBerry service],” he said.

    In a follow-up interview with TechCentral, Bapela explains that the debate around encrypted cellphone messaging systems was first introduced “a year or two ago” by the minister of state security, Siyabonga Cwele. “People saw devil’s horns all over that, so he retreated,” Bapela says.

    The plan is now being revisited and driven by the department of communications as part of its plans to introduce new policies to tackle cyber crime, he says.

    “Because BBM is an encrypted environment, people have begun to use it to plan and operationalise criminal activities,” Bapela tells TechCentral. “That is a concern that the law enforcement agencies are raising with government through the joint cluster on peace and security.”

    He says government wants to “find a solution with BlackBerry” and assure ordinary consumers the plans have nothing to do with the state wanting to spy on them. “We will open a debate on the issue. Whatever fears people express, we will … need to give them assurances so we can build trust in the use of technology in SA.”

    Bapela says government is not specifically targeting the BlackBerry platform, but rather any company that offers encrypted systems that can be used to commit crime. “Government mustn’t compromise people’s privacy.”

    Civil unrest in Syria, Egypt, Yemen, Libya and other parts of the world this year has played no part in government’s thinking on the issue, he adds. Social communication systems like BBM, Twitter and Facebook have played an important role in helping protestors organise demonstrations against autocratic governments. “We are a democracy,” Bapela says. “We are not [trying to] suppress freedom of expression.”

    He says government has not yet engaged with Research in Motion on the issue. But he says it will be discussed in cabinet this year, with the required changes the law to be introduced before the end of March next year.  — Duncan McLeod, TechCentral

    • Subscribe to our free daily newsletter
    • Follow us on Twitter or on Facebook


    BlackBerry Obed Bapela Research in Motion Siyabonga Cwele
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleNgcaba decries spectrum auctions
    Next Article State’s BBM access plan: BlackBerry reacts

    Related Posts

    From Talkomatic to WhatsApp: the incredible history of instant messaging

    28 May 2024

    The 20 most influential tech products of all time

    22 May 2024

    Biggest tech blunders of all time

    9 April 2024
    Company News

    $125-trillion traded: Binance redefines global finance in just eight years

    11 July 2025

    NEC XON welcomes HPE acquisition of Juniper Networks

    11 July 2025

    LTE Cat 1 vs Cat 1 bis – what’s the difference?

    11 July 2025
    Opinion

    In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

    30 June 2025

    E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

    30 June 2025

    South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

    17 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.