Zimbabwe’s Digital Activism Amidst Disproportionate Government Control of the Internet

By Juliet Nanfuka |

In 2016, activism in Zimbabwe took on a new persona through various social media campaigns that also transformed into offline activity.  In a move which critics believe is intended to suppress activism on social media, the national telecoms regulator known as the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) recently drove up internet access prices by up to 500% but…

South Africa Bill Threatens Internet Freedom

South Africa’s Cybercrimes And Cybersecurity Bill (2014) has been met with apprehension among civil society due to its vague definitions, its limited safeguards for access to information and freedom of expression. In many ways, it resonates with the equally stifling Draft Online Regulation Policy gazetted in March 2015, which contains clauses that have the potential of blocking online content including as…

GILAB (aka the Spy Bill) is back in Parliament

On Tuesday 12 February 2013, the Parliamentary committee dealing with the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill (the so-called “Spy Bill”) starts work again, aiming to adopt the Bill by 20 March 2013. The Right2Know Campaign remains opposed to the provisions of the Bill and will continue to monitor its progress through Parliament.
Why does R2K oppose the “SpyBill”?
We believe the GILAB,…

Zuma exacts defamation action on media

Jacob Zuma has added The Star to his latest round of defamation actions against newspapers.

The ANC president has issued a summons against Independent Newspapers for R1-million for alleged invasion of his dignity in an article published by The Star in 2005 – just making the prescription period by a few days, as plaintiffs have only three years to sue for…

National Key Points Act undermines the public’s right to know

What do OR Tambo International Airport, President Zuma’s homestead in Nkandla, and the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station have in common?

They have all been declared ‘National Key Points’ in terms of the National Key Points Act (NKPA), an obscure piece of apartheid-era law still on South Africa’s statute books. Introduced in 1980 as a response to ‘sabotage’ in Umtata, the law…