The City of Johannesburg has warned its employees through a circular against downloading child pornography and bestiality material, the Star reported on Wednesday.
The newspaper reported that the circular, put up at Sophie Masite Civic Centre in Jabulani, Soweto, last week, stated that “all DPUM [Department of Development Planning and Urban Management] employees are urged to immediately stop the downloading and or transmission of pornographic material … failing which the department will without hesitation institute disciplinary action … and will lay criminal charges”.
It read: “It has been brought to the attention of the office of the executive director that there is a significant level of abuse of the city’s IT system, with specific reference to the downloading of adult pornography, child pornography and bestiality”.
The city’s spokesperson Gabu Tugwana reportedly denied the circular was a result of its employees having been caught downloading the illegal material.
He said the circular was intended to remind staff about the council’s policies, and to warn them about the disciplinary steps that could be taken against them.
“It’s a tactic to reduce possible contravention of the city’s IT policy,” Tugwana was quoted saying.
Film and Publication Board spokesperson Mlimandlela Ndamase said it had not received any complaints from the council, in accordance with Section 27 of the Films and Publications Act’s requirement that anyone who suspects someone of possessing, creating, importing, obtaining or distributing a film that contains child porn must report it to the police.
This may see the council having to answer to the Film and Publication Board for having allegedly failed to report the suspected crimes by its employees. — Sapa