My fellow law-abiding citizens. Update on events so far.

1) Well done we have reached 8200 members that wish to see an end to corruption in South Africa.

Please continue to ask friends and family that are concerned citizens to join us. By sharing this link: http://chng.it/QTC76hy7

2) www.corruptionwatch.org.za has acknowledged receipt of our complaint.

3) whistleblowing.co.za has acknowledged receipt of our complaint and provided a reference: OBL05321092020

4) Diane Appelgryn the legal advisor to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange has acknowledged receipt of our complaint. She also advised us by email of possible TRADEMARK INFRINGEMENT using the acronym for the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. 

Extract:

"In the circumstances the JSE demands that the Organisation:

8.1.  immediately issue a retraction of the article titled “Concerns About Racial Tension, Economic Stability, Investor Confidence, And Corporate Transparency In South Africa” with an accompanying correction that the JSE is not affiliated to the Organisation in any manner or form;
8.2.  immediately cease any use of the JSE Trade Marks or any confusingly similar trade mark to the JSE Trade Marks; and
8.3.  undertake, in writing, that it will not, in future, use the JSE Trade Marks or any similar trade marks or otherwise infringe any of the JSE’s intellectual property rights." 

In short, we may not refer to ourselves as "their friends" and we may not use the acronym JSE in our efforts to preserve trust and investor confidence in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and our economy. In addition, no association with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange may be implied.

Compliance:

As trademark infringement is an offense and we are law-abiding citizens we have opted for the new name "Friends of Democracy in South Africa" and hereby confirm no affiliation save for goodwill towards the Johannesburg Stock Exchange should be inferred. Please do not use the letters JSE in any correspondence while lobbying for a corrupt-free South Africa.

5) Further to this Diane Appelgryn advised the following:

Extract:

"The JSE’s duties and responsibilities as licensed exchange are narrowly circumscribed by the provisions of the Financial Markets Act and the JSE is only empowered to adopt and enforce Listings Requirements and to supervise compliance thereof by companies listed on the JSE.

The JSE is not empowered to enforce any statute nor is the JSE in a position to investigate alleged transgressions of the legislation referred to in your e-mail (it would in fact be unlawful for the JSE to do so).

These issues must be investigated by the SAPS and/or the regulatory authorities established by the provisions of the statutes referred to in your e-mail."

We sincerely thank Diane Appelgryn for correcting our course and for her concern as law-abiding citizens. We express our continued hope that the Johannesburg Stock Exchange will join us in our mission soon - while we still have an economy left.

For any inquiries, you may contact Diane Appelgryn here: DianeA@jse.co.za

[Update 22 Sep 13:53 - Diane Appelgryn confirmed via email - our Compliance above was accepted by the Johannesburg Stock Exchange]

6) Dear members our journey to a corrupt-free South Africa has only just begun. Please continue to take action and share the amended complaint that can be found here: 

CONCERNS ABOUT RACIAL TENSION, ECONOMIC STABILITY, INVESTOR CONFIDENCE, AND CORPORATE TRANSPARENCY