Mugabe tackles cyber attack concerns

Advanced South African digital technology is likely to be used by Harare to identify people who allegedly posted messages on social media last week which President Robert Mugabe blames for panic buying and a crash in Zimbabwe’s currency. Mugabe’s remarks have raised the disturbing spectre of a clampdown by his government on social media – and South African assistance to him would raise serious questions about its commitment to freedom of expression. Addressing the second South Africa-Zimbabwe Bi-national Commission meeting in Pretoria, Mugabe said cyber-technology had been abused in both Zimbabwe and SA 'to undermine our economies'. A Daily Maverick report notes that he proposed that the neighbours work together to protect themselves 'against those who would destroy us' with ICT. His spokesperson George Charamba later explained that Mugabe was referring to a 'mischievious' series of social media messages which suggested there was going to be a shortage of basic commodities and that Zimbabwe’s new bond note currency was going to lose out against the major currencies.