Latest news with #Makamu
The Citizen
18-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Meta agrees to hand over child pornography channel creator information
Social media giant found in contempt of court after an earlier high court ruling. Ordered to pay costs Tech giant Meta has agreed to permanently delete more than 60 WhatsApp channels publishing child pornography involving South African school children and to comply with all requirements of an earlier high court order. This was after Judge Mudunwazi Makamu in the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Johannesburg handed down a further order on Friday. Meta was found in contempt of court of an earlier ruling in urgent litigation brought by the Digital Law Company (DLC) led by social media law expert Emma Sadleir. Contempt On Monday, Makamu ordered the company to close all accounts and channels linked to the distribution of sexual content involving school children and to 'permanently disable the creator of the WhatsApp channels and Instagram profiles listed' from creating any further WhatsApp channels and Instagram profiles. While Meta agreed to shut down all the accounts and channels linked to the distribution of sexual content involving school children, it never complied with other aspects of the ruling, including handing over the account creators' details to DLC. Meta was then served with an urgent contempt of court application. In his ruling on Friday, Makamu also ordered Meta to disclose 'subscriber information' for whoever is behind the accounts distributing the child pornography on WhatsApp and Instagram. ALSO READ: Meta complies, shuts down Instagram accounts and WhatsApp channels posting sexual content of SA school children Ruling welcomed Sadleir welcomed the ruling. 'I will forever be indebted to these incredible humans who dropped everything and gave up a whole week to help us with this matter,' she said. 'It looked a bit like David and Goliath in court this morning – our young legal team against an army of senior lawyers. Thank you, team. You gave a whole lot more than 67 minutes this week.' Information handover Meta also agreed to provide DLC with information in its possession pertaining to the creator(s) of each of the WhatsApp channels and Instagram profiles listed, in no later than three business days. 'The information provided to the applicant shall not be publicly disclosed to the general public and shall only be used for purposes of reporting to law enforcement potential crimes related to the accounts at issue and taking appropriate legal steps for the protection of children,' the court ordered. Meta and WhatsApp also agreed to pay DLC's costs for the urgent application. ALSO READ: Communications department welcomes ruling on Meta's WhatsApp and Instagram Sexual content DLC launched the interdict in which all lawyers acted pro-bono after Sadleir was contacted about content on the channels that included several explicit images and videos, including that of a Grade 11 pupil from a school south of Johannesburg having sex with a girl in a room. Another video shows a Grade 12 boy having sex with a Grade 9 girl in a school bathroom, apparently filmed by another pupil. 'If you committed suitcase (sic) RIP, you can haunt me or whatever the plan,' the poster said. 'If your nudes got exposed sies ulayegile sfebe (you deserved it whore). When I come back, I'm opening a page on every single platform expect (sic) Facebook…there won't be any remorse. Next time when you wanna take nudes, you'll think more than twice.' It was such explicit content and filthy language that spurred Sadleir and DLC to pursue the matter in a mammoth David vs Goliath battle. ALSO READ: Meta ordered to shut down Instagram accounts and WhatsApp channels posting sexual content of SA schoolchildren [VIDEO]
The Citizen
16-07-2025
- The Citizen
Communications department welcomes ruling on Meta
Meta was ordered to shut down Instagram accounts and WhatsApp channels posting sexual content of SA schoolchildren. The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies and the Film and Publication Board (FPB) say the psychological effects on victims of child pornography are long-lasting and devastating. The organisations were reacting to the Gauteng High Court ruling that ordered tech giant Meta to shut down certain anonymous Instagram accounts and WhatsApp Channels distributing explicit child pornography involving South African schoolchildren. Judgment Judge Mudunwazi Makamu handed down the ruling in an order sought by Digital Law Company, directed by social media law expert Emma Sadlier, on Monday. In the judgement, Makamu agreed with the arguments by advocate Ben Winks that children have been victimised by the publication of lurid material. Makamu ordered Meta to shut down all the accounts and channels linked to the distribution of sexual content involving schoolchildren and to 'permanently disable the creator of the WhatsApp channels and Instagram profiles listed… from creating any further WhatsApp channels and Instagram profiles'. 'The respondents shall, before 12h00 on 15 July 2025, furnish to the applicant all information in the first respondent's possession pertaining to the creator(s) of the WhatsApp channels and Instagram profiles,' Makamu ruled. ALSO READ: Meta ordered to shut down Instagram accounts and WhatsApp channels posting sexual content of SA schoolchildren [VIDEO] Meta response Meta has been ordered to furnish Digital Law Company 'all information' in its possession of the creators. The public relations company that shares Meta news in South Africa, told The Citizen, they are waiting for feedback from Meta on the court ruling. Child exploitation Deputy Communications Minister Mondli Gungubele said with the development and expansion of digital technologies, the crime of online child exploitation and abuse has grown exponentially and has become the most insidious form of global, modern and borderless cybercrime. 'The psychological effects on victims of child pornography are long-lasting and devastating; hence, we applaud the high court ruling. 'Parents and guardians are encouraged to regularly monitor their children's online activities and educate them about harmful and prohibited content that could lead to their arrest as well as the long-term psychological effects of such content on victims,' Gungubele said. Harmful content According to the Communications Department, harmful content is defined as any content that causes emotional, psychological, or physical distress to a person, whether through online or offline mediums, including the internet. The department said Gungubele will be hosting quarterly media briefings on the trends monitored by the FPB on harmful and prohibited content, including CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material). ALSO READ: Parents, use these Instagram tools to keep your teens safe online
The Citizen
15-07-2025
- The Citizen
Gauteng High Court orders Meta to shut child porn accounts targeting SA learners
The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg has ordered tech giant Meta to shut down anonymous Instagram accounts and WhatsApp channels distributing explicit child pornography involving South African learners. According to The Witness, Judge Mudunwazi Makamu granted the order yesterday after an urgent application by the Digital Law Company, directed by social media law expert Emma Sadlier. Makamu agreed with advocate Ben Winks's arguments that children were being victimised through the distribution of explicit material. Makamu ordered Meta to permanently shut down all linked accounts and channels and to 'disable the creator of the WhatsApp channels and Instagram profiles listed… from creating any further WhatsApp channels and Instagram profiles'. The company must also provide Digital Law Company with 'all information' in its possession about the creators. 'The respondents shall, before 12:00 on July 15, furnish to the applicant all information in the first respondent's possession pertaining to the creator(s) of the WhatsApp channels and Instagram profiles.' Sadlier confirmed that The Digital Law Company obtained a High Court order against Meta to shut down certain anonymous Instagram accounts and WhatsApp Channels distributing child pornography. Urgent action to protect children Sadlier confirmed the High Court order against Meta, describing it as crucial for protecting children from online exploitation. 'We count our lucky stars to be able to work with such extraordinary legal minds who understand how important it is to protect our children in this damn crazy world,' she said. The signed order will be sent to the registrar this morning, she told The Citizen. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Emma Sadleir – The Digital Law Company (@thedigitallawcompany) Shocking revelations in court papers In court papers, Sadlier said pornographic material was sourced from the community via an anonymous uploading service called NGL (Not Gonna Lie). She explained that the person behind the Instagram profiles and WhatsApp channels appeared to be the same individual using similar aliases and uploading intimate content received from others. 'It goes without saying that the uploading and distribution of this content is a crime, a flagrant disregard of the law and an egregious violation of constitutional rights, including… the rights to dignity, privacy, the best interests of a child and psychological integrity,' she said. The channels reportedly included explicit images and videos of South African learners, some filmed in school bathrooms. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Emma Sadleir – The Digital Law Company (@thedigitallawcompany) Meta's alleged failure to act Sadlier alleged that while Meta administrators occasionally deleted pages or channels, these were often reinstated or replicated soon after, allowing the illegal content to circulate again. Yesterday, Digital Law Company launched urgent legal action, saying a WhatsApp channel with over 11 000 followers – mostly children – had threatened to publish 'everything' that evening. In a letter to Meta, the company's attorney, Rupert Candy, warned: 'If you do not ensure the deletion of the WhatsApp channels and Instagram profiles before then, the lives of numerous South African children will be irreparably harmed, with potentially suicidal consequences.' Sadlier said investigations revealed the person behind the profiles was soliciting sexual content from learners and distributing it to large audiences on WhatsApp community channels and Instagram profiles. 'The affected individuals face the imminent and irreparable dissemination of their most sensitive and intimate information,' she said. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
15-07-2025
- The Citizen
Meta ordered to shutdown Instagram and WhatsApp posting sex
Content included a grade 12 boy having sex with a grade 9 girl in a school bathroom apparently filmed by another pupil. The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg has ordered tech giant Meta to shut down certain anonymous Instagram accounts and WhatsApp Channels distributing explicit child pornography involving South African schoolchildren. Judge Mudunwazi Makamu handed down the judgment in order sought by Digital Law Company, directed by social media law expert Emma Sadlier, on Monday. In the ruling, Makamu agreed with the arguments by advocate Ben Winks that children have been victimised by the publication of lurid material. Shutdown Makamu ordered Meta to shut down all the accounts and channels linked to the distribution of sexual content involving schoolchildren and to 'permanently disable the creator of the WhatsApp channels and Instagram profiles listed… from creating any further WhatsApp channels and Instagram profiles'. Meta has been ordered to furnish Digital Law Company 'all information' in its possession details of the creators. ALSO READ: Parents, use these Instagram tools to keep your teens safe online 'The respondents shall, before 12h00 on 15 July 2025, furnish to the applicant all information in the first respondent's possession pertaining to the creator(s) of the WhatsApp channels and Instagram profiles.' Ruling Sadlier welcomed the ruling. 'Tonight The Digital Law Company obtained a High Court order against Meta to shut down certain anonymous Instagram accounts and WhatsApp Channels distributing child pornography and degrading and humiliating content concerning children – and to hand over all identifying information. 'We count our lucky stars to be able to work with such extraordinary legal minds who understand how important it is to protect our children in this damn crazy world,' Sadlier said. Sadlier told The Citizen the signed order will be sent to the registrar on Tuesday morning. Porn material In court papers, Sadlier said the pornographic material of children was sourced from the community by sharing links to an anonymous uploading service titled 'NGL' (Not Gonna Lie). Sadlier added that the creator and operator of the Instagram profiles and WhatsApp channels sharing porn content of these schoolchildren 'appears to be the same person using many similar aliases'. ALSO READ: Instagram makes all teen accounts private in push for child safety [VIDEO] She said the person uploaded whatever intimate content they received onto the Instagram pages and WhatsApp channels. 'It goes without saying that the uploading and distribution of this content is a crime, a flagrant disregard of the law and an egregious violation of constitutional rights, including, among others, the rights to dignity, privacy, the best interests of a child and the right to psychological integrity.' School children According to Sadlier, the content on the channel included several explicit images and videos including that of a grade 11 pupil from a school south of Johannesburg having sex with a girl in a room, while another video shows a grade 12 boy having sex with a grade 9 girl in a school bathroom apparently filmed by another pupil. 'From time to time, it appears that Meta administrators will delete or block some of the pages and channels (presumably in response to user complaints). However, not long after, the same page or channel will be active again, or another channel will crop up replicating the previous channel – and the distribution of illegal content continues unabated,' Sadlier said. The Citizen has contacted Meta for a response. This will be included in the story once received. Urgent legal action On Monday, the Digital Law Company launched urgent legal action to compel Meta to stop an anonymous WhatsApp and Instagram user from further publishing private and pornographic material involving South African schoolchildren. The company's attorney, Rupert Candy, in a letter of demand to Meta, said the need for the urgency was that the live WhatsApp channel, which has over 11 000 followers (mostly children), issued a threat to publish 'everything' (with reference to pornographic images and videos, as well as private information, involving children) at 8pm on Monday evening, 14 July 2025. 'If you do not ensure the deletion of the WhatsApp channels and Instagram profiles before then, the lives of numerous South African children will be irreparably harmed, with potentially suicidal consequences. You have the power to prevent this,' Candy wrote. Mass distribution In papers filed at the Gauteng High Court, Sadlier said investigations revealed that the person behind the profiles was soliciting sexual content from school children. 'They involve the mass distribution of unlawful material involving children to large unidentified audiences who are members of so-called WhatsApp 'community channels', as well as Instagram profiles,' Sadlier said. 'The content comprises explicit pornographic images and videos depicting children. The images and videos are often accompanied by other information relating to the individual child depicted, including their name, grade, school, as well as lewd or otherwise offensive descriptions relating to the individual's purported behaviour 'The affected individuals face the imminent and irreparable dissemination of their most sensitive and intimate information, which constitutes graphic child pornography, deeply invasive personal details, and profoundly defamatory content relating to numerous identifiable minors,' she said. Warning to parents Sadlier warned parents to check their children's phones. 'I just want to alert parents to one of the biggest issues, and that is that these kids are all joining WhatsApp Channels… The kind of content being circulated on these channels is horrific, child sexual abuse images, child pornography. 'I can't tell you how harmful this content is. Please log in to your child's WhatsApp account. At the bottom left, there is an icon labelled 'Updates.' If you click on that and go to the top, if your child is following any WhatsApp channel, it will come up. I want you to go and have a look at that channel and see what kind of content is being posted,' Sadlier warned. ALSO READ: NAG magazine launches winter edition with Doom: The Dark Ages on cover [VIDEO]
The Citizen
12-06-2025
- General
- The Citizen
No deaths goal set for Limpopo initiation season
Makamu urges leaders to preserve cultural initiation values while ensuring initiates' safety through strict adherence to the law. Initiates parading in July 2022 during their arrival from the initiation school. Picture: Sibongumenzi Sibiya Limpopo MEC for cooperative governance, human settlement and traditional affairs Basikopo Makamu promised to ensure no life is lost during the 2025-26 initiation season in Limpopo. 'Our preparations for the 2025 initiation season are well underway,' Makamu said. 'My department received 569 applications for winter and summer initiation schools. Of these, the provincial initiation coordinating committee has approved 529 applications. Limpopo's initiation season aims for no fatalities 'This comprises 322 male and 208 female schools. Regrettably, 40 applications were declined due to non-compliance with Section 26 of the Customary Initiation Act (No 2 of 2021). 'Key reasons for rejection include pending litigation or court judgments, land jurisdiction disputes, leadership conflicts, incomplete documentation and traditional surgeons or caregivers having criminal records.' ALSO READ: Traditional leaders warn initiation schools to toe the line Makamu said his department will enforce the law to protect the integrity of this important traditional passage to manhood. He said the slogan for this year is a baye ba phela, ba boye ba phela (arrive alive and come back alive). The slogan was a powerful reminder that every initiate must go for initiation while healthy and return home alive, he said. 'Go to intiation healthy and return home alive' 'For generations, this rite of passage to manhood has shaped the identity, values and responsibilities of our youth. It marks their transition into adulthood – it is not a journey of peril, but of growth.' 'When conducted correctly, it instills discipline, respect and social consciousness, offering young people guidance in a world grappling with crime and substance abuse.' ALSO READ: Initiation schools: Commission wants answers on why recommendations haven't been carried out 'As leaders, we must reaffirm our commitment to preserving the dignity of this tradition while ensuring safety,' Makamu said. 'We commend the traditional councils, kingships, queenships and the houses of traditional leaders for their steadfast commitment to upholding the law. 'We also recognise headmen, women, surgeons and caregivers who have embraced the Act as a tool to safeguard our heritage.' Practice slowly losing value and respect Phillip Machubeni, whose children are being initiated in different schools in Bolobedu, said this cultural practice was slowly losing the value and the respect it had up to the '80s. 'We were told we are men after graduation. We were taught to respect elderly people, our parents and everyone senior to us,' said Machubeni. ALSO READ: Restoring tradition without reinforcing harmful patriarchy 'I doubt that is the case nowadays because most of those coming from mountain schools often disrespect their parents, indulge in substance abuse and drop out.' Kagiso Sekokotla of Lephepane, outside Lenyenye, who graduated from a mountain school in the late '90s, agreed. Graduates a menace 'Many who graduate from schools are a menace to their parents, the community and their teachers in formal schools. 'They think graduating from these schools gives them the right to experiment with sex at an early stage. Some drop out of school and cohabit with young girls.'
