Sunday Times is reporting that the spy equipment could be used illegally to obtain information on citizens.

JOHANNESBURG - A massive security breach by hackers has provided a rare glimpse into the world of clandestine government snooping and revealed that South African authorities showed an interest in buying highly sophisticated spyware.

The Sunday Times is reporting that the spy equipment could be used illegally to obtain information on ordinary citizens.

This emerged in a massive dump of about a million confidential emails and documents by WikiLeaks after they were taken by Italian hackers last weekend.

The paper says the documents reveal details of elaborate software used in murky espionage operations and show that members of the South African Police Service tried to acquire some of these programs.

This software would allow agencies to, among other things, grab files and email messages off computers.

It could also monitor cellphone skype calls and instant messages on WhatsApp and Viber as well as access Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts.

The leaked documents include emails between a high ranking South African police official and an official within a controversial Italian surveillance and security firm.

It's understood the software cannot be detected and works on Androids, Apple, Blackberry and Windows phones.