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SATRA withdraws undertaking not to use criminal action against SACBA
The South African Telecommunications Regulatory Authority warned illegal telephone callback operators that it would, with immediate effect, begin using all the legal resources at its disposal to halt callback operations in South Africa.
This includes the withdrawal of Satra's undertaking of 27 August 1997 not to initiate criminal prosecutions until the completion of a pending high-court hearing on the legality or otherwise of callback operations in South Africa.
The Satra decision is reluctantly taken in the face of two blatantly dishonest attempts by the South African CallBack Association (Sacba) in the past two days to mislead the media and the public.
Satra is of the opinion that Sacba has dangerously transgressed the bounds of healthy and honest debate, and is left with no option but to implement the letter of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which holds that callback operations are illegal and could result in a fine of R500 000 or two years imprisonment, or both.
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