Anti-Sentech sentiment increasing

Johannesburg, 30 Jun 2004

After meeting with Sentech and the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI), disgruntled Sentech customer Roelf Diedericks says he plans to re-launch his anti-Sentech Web site on Friday under a new domain name.

Diedericks transferred the ownership of www.mywirelesssucks.co.za and www.sentechsucks.co.za to Sentech after receiving a letter from Sentech lawyers Bowman, Gilfillan, John and Kernick. The letter threatened legal action, saying Sentech had a right to protect its trademarks and reputation.

"However, the FXI said to me in a meeting I had with them that there was nothing to stop me from launching the site again as long as the postings were fair and honest. I hope to launch the site again on Friday under a new domain name and will be moderating all postings to ensure that nothing defamatory is posted, for which I could be held liable," he says.

Diedericks' battle with Sentech has led to the registration of a number of other domain names, including www.suckmywireless.co.za and the www.f**cksentech.co.za site launched by Shaun Dewberry, the owner of local hacker and civil liberties group 2600.co.za.

Dewberry says the site was initially registered to protest the forced removal of sentechsucks.co.za and mywirelesssucks.co.za last week.

"The right of an individual to criticise a company through free speech in whatever medium that is available to them is inherent to SA's world-renowned constitution," he says.

Bowman, Gilfillan, John and Kernick sent Dewberry a letter warning of legal action for passing-off, trademark infringement and possible unlawful competition using Sentech's name. Dewberry is ordered to transfer the domain name ownership to Sentech by the end of tomorrow or face legal action.

Diedericks says he and a number of other disgruntled Sentech customers have also written an article which they hope will be posted on slashdot.org, an international community Web site which promotes freedom of speech. He hopes this will draw more attention to Sentech's service and its dealings with clients like himself and Dewberry.

Sentech could not be reached for comment.