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Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Charles Nqakula, will represent South Africa at the international conference on cyber-crime, to be held in Budapest, Hungary, between November 22 and 25. The conference, held under the aegis of the Council of Europe, will culminate in the signing of a convention against cyber-crime.

South Africa, while not a member of the Council, was invited to join the Council of Europe's committee of experts in the drafting of the international convention against cyber-crime. Other countries that were accorded the same honour were the United States, Canada and Japan. The committee of experts was set up in accordance with a resolution that was adopted in November 1996 by the European Committee on Crime Problems.

South Africa's representative in the drafting process was Mr Iyavar Chetty, who is a member of the Films and Publications Board. The Board is one of the line-functions of Mr Nqakula's office. South Africa, as one of the participants in the drafting of the protocol, is expected to be among countries that will sign the convention on Friday.

The conference, mindful of the global use of computer networks for criminal activities, seeks to rationalise policy to facilitate the investigation and prosecution of criminal conduct in respect of cyber-space usage. There is an international understanding that the Internet, for example, cannot be regulated without international cooperation. The convention has been drafted to create conditions for the harmonisation of national laws between and among states on the basis of international cooperation.

A system of criminal law is needed to keep abreast with technological advancement especially where criminals - who are becoming sophisticated and more daring by the day - misuse facilities of cyber-space and cause damage to legitimate interests.

In South Africa, many crimes on the abuse of cyber-space have been committed with special regard to child pornography. The South African Government will introduce amendments to the Films and Publications Act to tighten the law for better success in the prosecution of child pornography cases. As is the case with all the laws that government promulgates, care will be exercised to ensure the amendments do not affect the principle of free speech and unhindered publication of facts. In the end, though, the amendments will be crafted with the sole desire to protect South Africa's children.

Issued by Ministry of Home Affairs

19 November 2001