South African Court bans bulk surveillance

The High Court of South Africa issued a landmark ruling, rejecting South African government’s claim that bulk surveillance was authorized by general language in South Africa’s National Strategic Intelligence Act. According to EFF, the court found no provisions clearly authorizing bulk surveillance, and concluded that if the government believes that bulk surveillance is so important, “the least that can be required is a law that says intelligibly that the State can do so.” According to the Daily Maverick, fixing bulk surveillance would mean introducing legislation setting out and limiting its powers and functions, which is likely to happen in the short term if the Constitutional Court confirms the Sutherland judgment.