Former Hawks member backs down on surveillance of Peter Bruce, Rob Rose
A former Hawks member now employed at a leading private investigations firm has withdrawn his objection to two protection orders that prohibit him from conducting surveillance on two prominent Tiso Blackstar Group journalists. The Randburg Magistrate’s Court made final the orders against Nico Smith‚ the head of investigations and intelligence at Midrand-based Combined Private Investigations (CPI)‚ and issued warrants of arrest valid until 2023 in Smith’s name. CPI’s biggest clients are Eskom and Transnet‚ for which the company conducts copper theft investigations. In November Smith said on his curriculum vitae (CV)‚ uploaded to his LinkedIn page‚ that he “brings to the table” specialised skills and a “cellphone informant working with me for the past 14 years (employed at the leading cellphone network in SA)”. The CV has since been removed from the page. Smith will be arrested if he contravenes the orders‚ which prohibit him from contacting or conducting unlawful physical or electron...
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