Big Brother EXPOSED

Big Brother EXPOSED is a report by the Right2Know Campaign that documents the stories of activists and community leaders who have been monitored and harassed by South Africa’s intelligence agencies – especially the State Security Agency and the Crime Intelligence Division of the police.

Certain organisations in South Africa have been raising concerns about this for years, but too often these concerns have been dismissed. Since the early 2000s, South Africa has witnessed several high-profile ‘spy’ scandals involving the surveillance of high-ranking politicians, and even some journalists, but this report presents a different perspective: that of community activists and unionists who have had similar experiences.

This report tries to understand why this is happening, explore the harm that can be done when intelligence structures intrude in democratic spaces, and equip people with the knowledge they need to fight back.