Eskom CEO, André de Ruyter, has doubled down on the claim that he stumbled upon a highly sophisticated tracking device under the driver’s seat of his Volvo...
This comes after details were provided to press in October about a circuit board, described as an “NSA-level device”, that De Ruyter found while cleaning his car.
Articles cited a preliminary report prepared by former police commissioner George Fivaz who claimed the device isn’t commercially available, and is typically used by law enforcement and intelligence agencies...
Journalists were provided photos of the circuit board, which they duly published....
He explained that, based on the evidence, the device was likely nothing more than a remote of some kind.
Such a remote button could be a gate or garage opener, a panic button, or a way to arm and disarm a home alarm.
MyBroadband’s in-house researcher and electronic engineer Wikus Steyn agreed.
“There is no GPS chip or antenna, so no tracking that way. I see no mic onboard, although there is what seems to be a 2-pin input at the top, but that is most likely for a push button,” Steyn stated. He also said the quality of soldering suggests cheap mass production. more
Our take... I agree with Dan and Wikus. (but be sure to read the last paragraph) If the TI IC info in the photo is correct TI lists the chip's applications as:
- Low-Power, High-Performance, Wireless Systems With Data Rate Up to 1250 kbps
- ISM/SRD Bands: 169, 433, 868, 915, and 920 MHz
- Possible Support for Additional Frequency Bands: 137 to 158.3 MHz, 205 to 237.5 MHz, and 274 to 316.6 MHz
- Smart Metering (AMR/AMI)
- Home and Building Automation
- Wireless Alarm and Security Systems
- Industrial Monitoring and Control
- Wireless Healthcare Applications
- Wireless Sensor Networks and Active RFID
- IEEE 802.15.4g Applications
- Wireless M-Bus, All Modes
Eskom CEO, André de Ruyter, may have misidentified this item, but it definitely doesn't mean he is not being surveilled. Thoughts of tracking and bugging are not normal. Something has made him suspicious. Trust your instincts, André. Get some professional TSCM help, and don't make it a public issue.
