Given Shingange

South Africa’s Cybersecurity Failure Is Not About Policy Gaps. It Is About State Capability.

1. Introduction: South Africa’s Cybersecurity Problem Is Not a Knowledge Problem

South Africa does not suffer from a lack of cybersecurity knowledge, frameworks, or international guidance. It suffers from a persistent failure of execution, authority, and accountability. For more than a decade, the country has produced policies, frameworks, and institutional arrangements that acknowledge cybersecurity as a national priority. Yet cyber incidents continue to rise, critical services remain exposed, and state capacity to respond coherently remains weak.

This is not a technical problem. It is a governance problem.

The latest Guide to Developing a National Cybersecurity Strategy, 3rd Edition (2025) makes this distinction explicit. The Guide is no longer focused on helping states understand what cybersecurity is. It is focused on helping states translate intent into durable capability. In this respect, South Africa stands as a clear example of a country that has absorbed the language of cybersecurity without internalising its discipline.

More concerning is that South Africa’s cybersecurity posture remains poorly aligned with the reality of modern hybrid threats, where cyber operations, disinformation, influence campaigns, economic coercion, and institutional weakness intersect. The country continues to treat cybersecurity as a narrow ICT or compliance issue, while adversaries treat it as a tool of power, leverage, and strategic influence.

This article argues that South Africa’s cybersecurity weakness is not caused by the absence of strategy. It is caused by the inability or unwillingness of the state to convert strategy into authority, funding, skills, and enforcement.

2. What the Guide Actually Says, Not What We Prefer to Hear

The 2025 Guide is explicit in its intent. It positions national cybersecurity strategy as a living governance instrument, not a policy document to be published and forgotten. It introduces a lifecycle approach that forces states to confront uncomfortable realities, such as sustainable funding, institutional leadership, implementation sequencing, and performance measurement.

At its core, the Guide emphasises three non-negotiables:

First, clear leadership and mandate. A national cybersecurity strategy cannot succeed without a single, empowered authority that coordinates across government and society.

Second, implementation and sustainment. Strategies without funded action plans, timelines, and accountability mechanisms are meaningless.

Third, adaptability to evolving threats, including emerging technologies and hybrid threat models that blur the line between civilian, economic, and national security domains.

The 3rd Edition strengthens these points by focusing heavily on financing, monitoring, evaluation, and technological foresight. This shift is significant. It reflects a global recognition that many states no longer fail at the level of ideas, but at the level of execution.

South Africa’s problem is that it continues to behave as if drafting a strategy is the same as building capability.

3. Using the Guide as a Benchmark: Where South Africa Falls Short

When the Guide’s overarching principles are applied to South Africa, the gaps are immediate and systemic.

Clear leadership and authority

South Africa does not have a single, clearly empowered national cybersecurity authority with the political weight and operational mandate required to coordinate across government, regulators, state-owned entities, and the private sector. Responsibilities are dispersed across departments, agencies, and committees, many of which lack enforcement power.

This fragmentation violates one of the most basic principles of the Guide: cybersecurity governance requires clarity of leadership, not collaborative ambiguity.

Whole-of-government coordination

The Guide assumes that cybersecurity cuts across sectors and functions. In South Africa, coordination often exists in theory but collapses in practice. Interdepartmental processes are slow, politicised, and frequently undermined by competing mandates and budgetary silos.

Cybersecurity is discussed, but rarely prioritised when trade-offs must be made.

Risk-based prioritisation

South Africa continues to struggle with national-level cyber risk management. There is limited evidence of a continuously updated national cyber risk register that informs policy decisions, investment, or crisis preparedness. Risk assessments, where they exist, are often static and compliance-driven.

Sustainable funding and capacity

The Guide is unambiguous. Cybersecurity requires predictable, multi-year funding and sustained investment in people. South Africa’s approach remains ad hoc. Cybersecurity initiatives are launched without long-term funding commitments, resulting in fragile systems that degrade over time.

This is not a budgeting issue alone. It reflects a failure to treat cybersecurity as a strategic investment rather than a discretionary expense.

4. Lifecycle Failure in the South African Context

The Guide’s lifecycle model provides a useful diagnostic tool to understand where South Africa consistently fails.

Initiation without authority

Strategies are initiated without clearly designating a lead authority with the power to compel cooperation. Committees are created, but authority is diluted.

Stocktaking without consequence

Assessments are conducted, reports are written, and gaps are identified. Yet these findings rarely result in decisive action or structural reform.

Strategies without funding

Cybersecurity strategies are published without binding financial commitments. Action plans, if they exist, are aspirational rather than operational.

Action plans without enforcement

Implementing entities are named, but consequences for non-delivery are absent. Performance management is weak or non-existent.

Monitoring without accountability

Monitoring and evaluation processes are often procedural, producing reports that are noted rather than acted upon.

In short, South Africa moves through the motions of the lifecycle without internalising its discipline.

5. Focus Areas Applied to South Africa’s Reality

Governance

Governance remains fragmented. No central authority has the mandate or legitimacy to enforce national cybersecurity priorities across sectors. This leads to duplication, gaps, and institutional paralysis.

Critical infrastructure and essential services

Despite repeated warnings, the protection of critical infrastructure remains uneven. Cybersecurity requirements are inconsistently applied, oversight is weak, and interdependencies between sectors are poorly understood.

National cyber risk management

There is no mature, dynamic national cyber risk management framework that informs strategic decision-making. Risk insights are not systematically linked to investment or crisis planning.

Incident response and CSIRT maturity

South Africa’s incident response capability is uneven and insufficiently integrated across sectors. Information sharing remains limited, and large-scale national exercises are rare.

Skills, capacity, and awareness

The skills deficit is acute, not only at technical levels but at senior decision-making levels. Many leaders responsible for cybersecurity policy lack the expertise to understand the consequences of inaction or poor design.

Legislation and regulation

While laws exist, enforcement is inconsistent. Regulatory overlap creates confusion, while gaps remain in areas related to cyber-enabled hybrid threats.

International cooperation

South Africa participates in international forums, but domestic capacity limits its ability to translate cooperation into tangible resilience.

6. Hybrid Threats and the Blind Spot in South Africa’s Cyber Policy

One of the most serious shortcomings of South Africa’s cybersecurity posture is its failure to fully integrate hybrid threats into national cyber policy.

Cybersecurity is still treated as an ICT issue, separate from disinformation, influence operations, economic coercion, and cognitive manipulation. This separation is artificial and dangerous.

Hybrid threats exploit institutional weakness, social divisions, and governance gaps. They target trust, decision-making, and legitimacy. South Africa’s fragmented cybersecurity governance makes it particularly vulnerable to such operations.

The Guide implicitly recognises this reality through its emphasis on cross-sector coordination and technological foresight. South Africa has yet to operationalise this insight.

7. Strategic Risks of Continued Inaction

The risks of continued failure are not abstract.

Critical services remain exposed to disruption. Public trust in digital systems erodes. The state becomes increasingly vulnerable to foreign influence operations that exploit weak cyber governance. Crisis response capabilities remain inadequate during national emergencies or high-profile events.

Most importantly, cybersecurity failure undermines state credibility and sovereignty.

8. What South Africa Should Be Doing Now

South Africa does not need another strategy. It needs discipline.

First, designate a single national cybersecurity authority with clear legal and political authority.

Second, align funding with strategy through multi-year commitments embedded in national budgeting processes.

Third, establish enforceable accountability mechanisms for implementation.

Fourth, integrate cybersecurity fully into national security and hybrid threat frameworks.

Finally, invest in decision-maker capability, not only technical skills.

9. Conclusion: From Strategy Documents to State Capability

Cybersecurity is a test of governance. South Africa has repeatedly failed that test, not because it lacks guidance, but because it lacks the will and structure to act.

The 2025 Guide does not offer comfort. It offers a mirror. What South Africa sees in that mirror should be deeply unsettling.

The question is no longer whether the country understands cybersecurity. The question is whether it is prepared to govern it.

When Men Lose Their Place, Society Pays the Price

I arrived unannounced, as I often do. I took the street that passes the local shops ko Ramadan as we call them, partly out of habit, partly out of instinct. Some part of me suspected I might find him there. My father is one of those people who collect the different purses of those playing mochina. And there he was.

The street was alive with movement. Men and women standing and sitting in clusters, some by their usual spot there by the guy who fixes shoes. Conversations layered on top of each other. Waiting. Hoping. Calculating. Mochina is more than gambling. It is a ritual. Numbers are not random. They are stories. They represent events, dreams, memories, and losses. You read the morning, interpret life, and choose a number. You put money down not just on chance, but on meaning.

There was a time when mochina was played by old people in the community, and now, when I go there, I see that there are a lot of young people, I hasten to say young people, though, because maybe when I was young, the old people I am referring to were my age. Anyway, this spot in my community is busy, with a bottle store at the corner, a foreign-owned shop, which is why it is called Ramadan, and a spot where alcohol purchased from the liquor shop can be consumed. There is also Laphalapha, where they sell sphatlhos/kotas. Next to Laphalapha, there is a barber shop in one of the houses.

I parked. He walked over to my car. I asked for numbers while lodging a complaint that whenever I ask him for them, I never win. He starts telling me that it occurred to him that I might come home that day. As he tells me this, Bra Lucky passes by, and I ask him for a number. I think he mentioned 13. I don’t even know what it means, but I keep searching for loose change in the car, half embarrassed, half hopeful. I played along, knowing full well how this usually ends. “o mmone, Kenny?” my Dad asks if I have seen Kenny. Ntate Kenny is his best friend, and he points to the corner where the guy who fixes shoes is. I think my dad is old now because I haven’t driven past that spot yet. Anyway, I drive off and make sure to shout a greeting when I pass that spot.

He comes home, I ask if I had won, that time I don’t even remember my numbers, and he tells me that most people didn’t win and continues to explain how the mochina has played all of them, and that no one from his bag won. Even if his numbers don’t come up, but someone else does, there is a percentage that he gets, so you can imagine how it feels when even the other people do not win.

Later that day, after the formal greetings in the sitting room, I ask how he is, and he says he is ok. He had not been well, and I was travelling, so when I ask, I normally have a visual inspection of sorts to see if he is ok.

He then told me about an event they are going to that relates to the men’s forum. He has spoken about the forum before, and he normally tells me stories from there. Old men mostly. Pensioners. Men with time, memory, and regret. They sit together and talk about their lives. And often, they cry. This man’s forum is run by the local clinic.

It seems like this is something that they really look forward to as local men, not because they are weak. But because they finally have permission.

The stories are painfully similar. Men who were pushed out of their own homes. Men whose authority was steadily eroded until it disappeared. Men who watched their children grow up listening only to their mothers, not because the mothers were wrong, but because the fathers were sidelined, disempowered, or made irrelevant. Men who now look at their grown children and see struggle, confusion, anger, and failure. And they blame themselves. Mind you, these are men who, for the longest time they had to endure apartheid, being disrespected by young white men and women, calling them boy and all sorts of names.

This is where the conversation around men in our society becomes dishonest.

We talk endlessly about toxic masculinity. We talk very little about displaced masculinity. We speak loudly about men as problems, but quietly about men as casualties. In South Africa, especially, the dominant narrative paints men as irresponsible, violent, absent, or dangerous. Some men fit that description. Many do not. Yet all are judged by the same brush.

What happens when a man is told repeatedly that his role is unnecessary, suspect, or harmful?

He retreats.

He withdraws from decision-making. From discipline. From emotional investment. From responsibility. Sometimes he withdraws into alcohol. Sometimes into gambling. Sometimes into silence. Sometimes into forums where other broken men nod in recognition.

And then society acts surprised when children grow up without structure, without direction, without accountability. We talk about absent fathers without asking who pushed them out, who undermined them, or who taught them that their presence no longer mattered.

The men in these forums are not monsters. They are men who failed in environments that no longer knew what to do with them. Men who were never taught how to adapt their masculinity to changing social realities were only told that it was wrong. Men who were stripped of authority without being given a new role. Men who now carry the guilt of outcomes they had limited power to influence.

The pain cuts deeper when they speak about their children. Sons who drift. Daughters who struggle. Lives that never quite stabilise. The men internalise it as personal failure. The forum, meant to heal, often becomes a mirror reflecting everything they lost.

This is the uncomfortable truth. You cannot dismantle men’s role in society without consequences. You cannot weaken fathers and expect strong families. You cannot confuse masculinity and then blame men for being lost.

Being a man is not about domination. It is about responsibility. It is about presence. It is about guidance, protection, and sacrifice. When society attacks those foundations without offering alternatives, men do not become better. They become invisible.

And invisible men do not raise strong children.

If we are serious about fixing our social decay, crime, unemployment, and moral drift, we must stop having shallow conversations about men. We must stop reducing complex historical, economic, and cultural realities into slogans. We must create spaces where men are rebuilt, not shamed. Where fatherhood is reinforced, not questioned. Where masculinity is redefined with clarity, not contempt.

Those old men sitting in forums crying are not the end of the story. They are a warning.

Ignore them, and the next generation will sit in the same circles, with even less hope, even less structure, and even more resentment.

This is not about men versus women. It is about balance. About roles. About accountability. About restoring order in a society that has confused liberation with destruction.

When men lose their place, society does not become freer. It becomes weaker.

And we are already paying the price.

Hoba Monna (being a man) and the Quiet Weight Men Carry

Hoba Monna by Sannere featuring Selimo Thabang, Omali Themba, Flash Cortez, Wave Rhyder, Marcx Brass)

I hesitated before writing and publishing this piece during the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children, a period rightly dedicated to confronting gender based violence and the harm it causes. I am conscious that speaking about men’s struggles at this time can easily be misread as deflection, minimisation, or even quiet support for violence, as if acknowledging the weight men carry somehow denies the suffering of women. That fear of misinterpretation is real, and it says something important about the moment we are in. Yet silence is not neutrality. Avoiding honest reflection because it may be misunderstood only narrows the conversation further. This article is not an attempt to excuse harm or shift blame. It is an attempt to understand the human conditions under which many men are living, because without that understanding, the very violence we seek to end will continue to reproduce itself in quieter, less visible ways.

Sometimes a song does what public debates, campaigns, and opinion pieces struggle to do. It names a feeling without dressing it up. Hoba Monna does exactly that. It speaks plainly about what it feels like to be a man carrying responsibility in silence, and in doing so, it exposes a reality many men live but rarely articulate.

The title itself is revealing. Hoba monna means “to be a man”. Not to perform masculinity. Not to dominate. Simply to exist as a man. Yet from the opening hook, the song makes it clear that this existence has become exhausting.

“Ke fihletse boemong ba ho tsofala hoba monna, ke fihletse boemong ba ho utloa hore ho thata hoba monna.”

This is not exaggeration. It is accumulation. The repetition signals long term emotional fatigue, the slow wearing down that comes from expectation layered on top of expectation. Being a man, in this telling, is not dramatic. It is heavy.

Strength Without Space to Falter

In the first verse, the artist captures a contradiction many men experience early in life.

“People keep judging me, when I go weak, they forget I’m human and I also breathe.”

Men are permitted strength, but not struggle. The moment vulnerability appears, humanity is withdrawn. Weakness is treated as failure rather than as a normal part of being human.

Yet responsibility remains non negotiable.

“I gotta confide, I gotta provide in the process so my family can eat.”

There is no rejection of duty here. The pain comes from being expected to provide and endure without acknowledgement of cost. Men are required to function regardless of their internal state. When they do not, judgment follows swiftly. Pressure becomes personal rather than contextual. The man is blamed, while the conditions surrounding him remain invisible.

Becoming a Man Without Guidance

One of the quietest lines in the song is also one of the most revealing.

“And I wish my father could’ve shown me a hint.”

This is not accusation. It is absence speaking. It reflects the experience of many men who are expected to know how to be responsible, disciplined, and emotionally regulated without ever having seen those qualities modelled consistently.

Manhood is treated as instinctive rather than learned. When men struggle, the struggle is moralised instead of understood. Many men are navigating adulthood without maps, mentors, or reference points, while still being held to rigid standards.

Culture and the Discipline of Silence

The second verse, delivered in Sesotho, speaks directly to cultural training.

“Society e re rutile ho nka ka sefuba, ene re nke ka senna.”

Society taught us to take everything on the chest and take it as a man

This is not mockery of culture. It is description. Emotional restraint has long been framed as strength. Endurance as virtue. But the song does not romanticise this conditioning. It shows where it leads.

“Ho fihlela moo e ka reng kea khathala.”

Until the point where one becomes exhausted.

When pain has no outlet, it does not disappear. It accumulates. Silence does not build resilience indefinitely. It eventually produces numbness, withdrawal, or collapse.

Responsibility Without Support

One of the most important moments in Hoba Monna comes through a question that reveals imbalance.

“Ba re o hlokomele bana ba heno, empa nna ke hlokomelewa ke mang?”

They tell me to take care of my siblings, but who takes care of me?

This reflects a familiar reality in many African households. Men are expected to support siblings and extended family, to be stable, to be reliable, to carry others.

The follow up question sharpens the point.

“Ba re o ba loanele bana ba heno, empa nna ke loanela ke mang?”

They tell me to fight for my siblings, but who fights for me?

This is not self pity. It is recognition of imbalance. Responsibility flows outward. Care rarely flows back.

Smiling While Breaking

The final verse captures a reality many men live daily.

“Ke tlameha ke tsoe ke phande ke smile le batho kantle, ke robegile ka hare.”

I have to go outside hustle and smile with people, while I am broken inside.

This is not performance for praise. It is survival. In a society that responds harshly to male vulnerability, composure becomes armour. Smiling becomes a way to remain functional even while internally unraveling.

Why Hoba Monna Matters

Hoba Monna matters because it humanises men without excusing harm. It does not deny violence, irresponsibility, or failure. It asks a deeper question. What conditions produce men who are emotionally exhausted, silent, and disengaged?

Men carry pressures that are rarely named, let alone addressed. Economic strain. Cultural silence. Extended responsibility. Emotional isolation. None of these excuse destructive behaviour. Ignoring them guarantees its repetition.

Strength should not require emotional erasure. Responsibility should not require loneliness. Being a man should not mean carrying unbearable weight alone.

Hoba Monna is not asking for sympathy. It is asking for recognition. Recognition that men are human, that endurance has limits, and that silence is not the same as strength.

Sometimes music tells the truth long before society is ready to hear it.

What Does It Mean to Be a Modern Man in South Africa?

There is a quiet crisis unfolding in South African society, and it is not being spoken about honestly. It sits beneath the headlines, beneath the slogans, beneath the well funded campaigns and carefully worded statements. It is the crisis of what it means to be a man, and whether society still knows how to speak to men without turning them into symbols of everything that is wrong.

To be clear from the outset, this is not an attempt to deny the reality of violence, abuse, or harm committed by men. Those realities are undeniable and must be confronted directly. But confronting harm is not the same thing as condemning an entire group into silence, shame, and disengagement. Somewhere along the way, South Africa has begun to confuse accountability with collective guilt. That confusion is costing us more than we are willing to admit.

A generation of men is growing up hearing what they must not be. Do not be dominant. Do not be assertive. Do not be too strong. Do not lead in the wrong way. Do not speak incorrectly. Do not exist incorrectly. Yet there is far less clarity about what men should be. And when a society only knows how to criticise, but not how to guide, it should not be surprised when the result is confusion rather than change.

Historically, manhood in South Africa was not a vague or abstract idea. Across cultures and communities, despite their differences, there were shared expectations. A man was expected to take responsibility. He was expected to protect, to provide where possible, to discipline himself before disciplining others, and to anchor a family and a community. These roles were not always fulfilled perfectly, and they were often distorted by patriarchy, violence, and power. But they provided a moral structure. They gave men something to grow into.

That structure has largely collapsed, not because it was consciously dismantled with care, but because it was attacked without being replaced. Economic exclusion has made the provider role unreachable for millions. Unemployment has stripped men of dignity long before any social campaign ever did. Fatherlessness has removed mentorship at scale. Historical trauma has gone unprocessed. Into this vacuum, society has inserted a single dominant message, men are the problem.

Public discourse increasingly frames men primarily through statistics of violence, abuse, and crime. Media narratives repeat these images until they become identity. Campaigns, often well intentioned, speak about men as risks to be managed rather than people to be developed. Masculinity itself is treated as something that must be softened, neutralised, or apologised for, rather than disciplined and directed.

The idea of toxic masculinity is a good example. At its best, it was meant to describe specific harmful behaviours. At its worst, it has become a blunt instrument, used to suggest that masculinity itself is suspect. The problem is not that men are strong, assertive, or capable of leadership. The problem is what they do with those traits, and whether they are guided by moral responsibility. But this distinction is often lost. When masculinity is framed primarily as a danger, many men stop engaging altogether.

The psychological cost of this matters. When men are constantly told that their instincts are wrong, their presence is threatening, and their history is shameful, many respond not with reform, but with withdrawal. Silence replaces participation. Apathy replaces leadership. Some retreat into resentment. Others simply opt out of society altogether. None of these outcomes serve women, children, or communities.

There is also a deep contradiction at play. Society still expects men to show up in moments of crisis. To protect. To intervene. To take responsibility when things go wrong. Yet at the same time, it strips them of confidence, moral authority, and legitimacy. You cannot ask men to lead while constantly telling them they are unfit to do so. You cannot expect responsibility from people who are treated as permanent suspects.

This contradiction is especially stark in the South African context. Men are expected to navigate extreme inequality, unemployment, and social instability, while being held to moral standards that assume access to resources, opportunity, and support. A young man in a township is told to be responsible, but denied work. Told to be present, but raised without a father. Told to respect women, but shown daily through lived experience that power is exercised without fairness or justice. This does not excuse harmful behaviour, but it does explain why simplistic narratives fail.

What is missing from the conversation is a serious discussion about male development. Not punishment. Not slogans. Development. Men are not born knowing how to be disciplined, restrained, or ethical. These are learned behaviours, shaped through mentorship, expectation, and consequence. When society abandons this work, and replaces it with condemnation, it forfeits the very change it claims to want.

Accountability is essential. But accountability without dignity is ineffective. Men respond to standards when those standards are clear, consistent, and rooted in respect. Historically, rites of passage, work, fatherhood, and community roles provided these standards. Today, many men drift without markers, without recognition, without a sense of earned identity. In that vacuum, some seek belonging in destructive ways.

It is also worth asking who benefits from a society where men are disengaged. A passive man does not build. A confused man does not lead. A resentful man does not cooperate. The weakening of men does not strengthen women. It weakens families. Children do not benefit from absent fathers, whether that absence is physical or emotional. Communities do not thrive when half their population is treated as a problem to be managed rather than a resource to be cultivated.

This is not a call to return to outdated or abusive models of masculinity. Dominance, entitlement, and violence have no place in a healthy society. But neither does moral erasure. A constructive model of modern manhood must be rooted in responsibility, self mastery, service, and courage. Not the courage of aggression, but the courage of restraint. Not dominance over others, but mastery over oneself.

A modern South African man should be held to high standards. He should be expected to protect without controlling, to lead without abusing, to provide where possible and to contribute where he cannot. He should be challenged to confront his own behaviour honestly. But he should also be spoken to as someone capable of growth, not as an inherent threat.

The current narrative often fails this test. It speaks about men, not to them. It diagnoses without mentoring. It condemns without constructing. In doing so, it undermines its own goals. Social change does not happen through humiliation. It happens through clarity, expectation, and inclusion.

If South Africa is serious about addressing violence, inequality, and social breakdown, it must re learn how to speak to men with both firmness and respect. Men must be included as part of the solution, not positioned permanently as the source of the problem. This requires courage, because it means resisting easy narratives and simplistic villains.

A society that wants better men must be willing to invest in making them. That means mentorship. That means work opportunities. That means fathers who are supported, not mocked. That means cultural conversations that distinguish between harmful behaviour and male identity. That means acknowledging historical and economic realities without using them as excuses or weapons.

Being a modern man in South Africa should mean choosing responsibility in a context that often denies recognition. It should mean discipline in a culture that rewards excess. It should mean standing up, not because you are told you are dangerous, but because you are reminded that you matter.

Until we can have that conversation honestly, we will continue to talk past each other. And in that silence, the quiet crisis of men will deepen, with consequences that society will eventually be forced to confront.

CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS MONTH: IT’S ALL ABOUT OUR BEHAVIOUR

Given SHINGANGE

October 2024

October is widely recognized as Cybersecurity Awareness Month, originating in the USA but now embraced globally. It’s a time when organizations and governments increase efforts to educate the public about cyber risks, best practices, and shared responsibilities. Since its inception in 2004 by the Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance, the focus has evolved from essential advice like updating anti-virus software to a broader theme of “Our Shared Responsibility.”

The Current Narrative: Fear vs. Opportunity

Cybersecurity discussions often focus on threats, fueling anxiety over the dangers lurking online. However, the digital landscape also offers opportunities like access to education, business growth, and global connections. Countries, including South Africa, should harness these benefits while contextualizing cybersecurity efforts to their unique environments. While hyper-connected countries may face more significant risks, less technologically mature nations like South Africa have different challenges and opportunities.

For South Africa, where internet access and mobile phone connectivity have increased, the priority should be balancing technological advancement with robust cybersecurity measures. Digital inclusion can promote economic growth and improve quality of life, but only if individuals and organizations are aware of and prepared for cyber risks.

Lessons in Contextualization

Drawing from Mao Zedong’s insights on understanding the specific laws of revolutionary war, cybersecurity strategies should be tailored to local circumstances. In South Africa, where mobile connectivity is widespread and urban dwellers are always online, cybersecurity measures must address the unique ways people interact with technology. The more connected you are, the more vulnerable you become. This understanding is crucial in developing policies that resonate with the local context. Cyber strategies should consider factors like high mobile usage, public Wi-Fi reliance, and varying levels of digital literacy across different communities.

The Spy Story that Shows How Vulnerable We Are

Consider the case of Xu Yanjun, a Chinese spy whose data, stored on his iPhone and backed up to the cloud, was accessed by the FBI. His data, including personal conversations and calendar entries, played a key role in his capture. This incident highlights how personal behaviour with digital devices can expose individuals to significant risks. It’s not just about spies; it’s about everyday actions that can put anyone at risk. Imagine a scenario where an individual’s phone is stolen, and they haven’t activated any security features like remote wipes or encryption. Sensitive data, from emails to bank details, could quickly fall into the wrong hands.

More Practical Tips for Cybersecurity Awareness

Minimize Shoulder Surfing: Use a privacy screen to prevent others from seeing your screen, especially in crowded public areas like taxis or cafes.
Avoid Public Wi-Fi (or Use It Securely): Free Wi-Fi at airports or cafes may be convenient, but it’s a hotspot for hackers. If you must use it, consider using a VPN to secure your connection.
Understand What’s on the Cloud: Review the data types you’re storing and ensure sensitive files are encrypted or kept offline.
Don’t Forward Work Emails to Personal Accounts: This violates most companies’ data policies and exposes sensitive information to less secure environments.
Use a VPN Wisely: While VPNs add security, they have limitations based on where servers are located and who operates them. Choose a reputable service.
Separate Work and Personal Data: This minimizes risk if your device is compromised. Keep sensitive work data on work devices and avoid logging into personal accounts on corporate networks.
Code Calendar Entries: Use abbreviations or code for meetings instead of specific details. For example, “Proj. Mtg” instead of “Project Planning Meeting at XYZ Corp.”
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): This should be enabled for any account containing sensitive data, including email, banking, and social media.
Control Location Services and Background Apps: Review the permissions you grant to applications. Turn off location tracking for apps that don’t need it, and disable background refresh to prevent data leaks.
Delete Unused Apps: Unused apps not only clutter your phone but can pose security risks if they aren’t regularly updated.
Use Mobile Anti-Virus Software: This is crucial for detecting malware and other security threats. Make sure your anti-virus is from a trusted provider.
Install Software and Security Updates Promptly: Updates often include patches for vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit. Delaying updates leaves you exposed.

The Role of Generative AI: Both a Risk and a Tool for Awareness

Generative AI is transforming workplaces by automating tasks, personalizing marketing, and even enhancing customer service. However, it also introduces new cybersecurity risks, especially as AI-generated content becomes more convincing. Here are some AI-related cyber threats to be aware of:

AI-Generated Phishing Attacks: Hackers can use AI to craft highly convincing phishing emails that closely mimic legitimate communications, making it harder for individuals to distinguish between real and fake.
Deepfake Technology: AI-generated deepfake videos and audio recordings can impersonate high-profile individuals, potentially leading to misinformation, blackmail, or unauthorized access to company networks.
AI-Augmented Malware: Hackers are leveraging AI to create more sophisticated malware that can evade traditional detection methods by learning and adapting to security protocols.

Leveraging Generative AI for Cybersecurity Awareness

While generative AI poses some risks, it can also be a powerful tool for raising awareness and improving cybersecurity practices:

Training Simulations: AI can be used to create realistic cybersecurity training scenarios that teach employees to recognize threats like phishing emails or social engineering tactics.
Automated Threat Detection: Generative AI algorithms can help detect anomalies in network traffic or user behaviour, potentially identifying breaches before they cause significant damage.
Personalized Security Tips: AI can analyze user behaviour and provide personalized advice to improve cybersecurity practices, such as recommending stronger passwords or alerting users to risky online behaviour.
Automating Incident Responses: In the event of a cyber-attack, AI-driven systems can automate initial response measures, such as isolating compromised devices or identifying the source of the breach.

The South African Perspective: What Needs to Change?

In South Africa, the cyber threat landscape is evolving rapidly, with many businesses and individuals falling victim to online scams, ransomware attacks, and data breaches. Here’s how to build a more robust cybersecurity culture:

Increase Awareness Campaigns: Leverage local media, social platforms, and even generative AI tools to educate the public about cybersecurity threats and safe online behaviour.
Focus on Mobile Security: Given the country’s high mobile penetration, more emphasis should be placed on securing smartphones. This includes promoting anti-virus software for mobile, using app permission settings wisely, and avoiding insecure Wi-Fi networks.
Tailored Cyber Policies: Cyber strategies should be adapted to South Africa’s unique context. For example, regulations can emphasize mobile network security and encourage public and private sector collaboration to enhance cybersecurity resilience.
Invest in Digital Skills Development: Educating the workforce on digital literacy, cybersecurity basics, and safe online practices can help create a more secure digital environment.
Adopt AI for Monitoring and Response: Use AI technologies to detect and respond to real-time threats, particularly in sectors prone to cyber-attacks, like banking and telecommunications.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month serves as a reminder of the shared responsibility to stay secure online. While the risks are real, so are the opportunities. By understanding our behaviour, adopting proactive measures, and using emerging technologies like AI effectively, we can navigate the digital world safely and leverage its benefits for personal and professional growth. It starts with being aware and making informed decisions—whether in the workplace or in our daily lives. STAY SAFE!

The Looming Shadow of Cognitive Warfare: A Potential Threat to the 2024 South African Elections

Cognitive warfare is not only an attack on what we think. It is an attack on our way of thinking (Zac Rogers)

Introduction

South Africa’s 2024 elections loom large, not just as a contest for political power but as a potential battleground for a new, insidious form of warfare: cyber-cognitive warfare. Fueled by rising internet penetration and social media’s pervasive influence, this new battlefield threatens to weaponise misinformation and manipulate minds. This paper explores how rapid internet penetration, the ubiquity of social media, and the vulnerabilities they expose make South Africa’s population susceptible to manipulation through online information operations. To safeguard the integrity of democracy, we must dissect the arsenal of digital manipulation and prepare defences before the lines are drawn.

Defining the Battlefield: Cognitive Warfare

The Shifting Landscape of Warfare: Warfare has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent decades. We’ve moved beyond the physical battlefields of conventional war, entering an era defined by social and ideological threats. Think beyond tanks and bombs – imagine manipulation through mass media and sophisticated technologies.

A New Breed of War: Enter Cognitive Warfare: – This new type of conflict, dubbed “cognitive warfare,” is unlike anything we’ve faced before. While it draws elements from kinetic warfare and hybrid warfare, its reach and impact are far more sinister. Instead of fighting for physical territory, cognitive warfare focuses on controlling or altering how people process information. It’s essentially manipulating minds to achieve strategic goals.

Understanding Cognitive Warfare: Definitions vary, but the essence of cognitive warfare lies in using technology to influence, exploit, and ultimately, control human cognition. This manipulation often happens without the target’s awareness, making it even more insidious. It’s a silent battlefield where the enemy is your own mind.

The Goals of Cognitive Warfare: Destabilization and influence are the primary objectives. Sowing discord within societies, shaping beliefs, swaying public opinion, influencing political outcomes, creating social unrest and instability, eroding trust in institutions and governments and influencing actions are all part of the game. Imagine enemies subtly manipulating public opinion to weaken governments or trigger internal social unrest.

The arsenal of cyber-cognitive warfare is diverse. Misinformation, deliberate falsehoods spread to mislead, and disinformation, manipulated or fabricated information used to sow discord, are potent weapons. Cyber-enabled information operations and coordinated campaigns to disseminate these narratives through social media, online forums, and seemingly legitimate news outlets amplify their impact.

Not Just What We Think, But How We Think: Cognitive warfare isn’t just about attacking our thoughts, it’s about hijacking our entire thinking process. This means exploiting our mental biases, triggering emotional responses, and ultimately, guiding our actions to serve the attacker’s agenda.

Vulnerability in the Digital Age: South Africa’s Susceptible Landscape

South Africa’s rapidly growing internet penetration and social media usage create a fertile ground for cognitive warfare. According to Statista, internet penetration in South Africa is expected to reach 64.7% by 2024, and mobile data subscriptions exceeding 45 million create a fertile ground for cyber-cognitive warfare. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp significantly sway public discourse. The new kid on the block is TikTok, which is growing exponentially in terms of users. The difference between TikTok and the other social media platforms is that companies in the West do not own it, and it is seen as pushing the agenda of the Chinese government. This increased online engagement and a complex socio-economic landscape make the population susceptible to manipulation.

Existing societal vulnerabilities exacerbate this exposure. Socio-economic inequalities, political polarisation, and ethnic tensions provide fertile ground for divisive narratives to take root. The 2014 “Fees Must Fall” protests, the recent xenophobic attacks, and the July 2021 social unrest highlight how online misinformation can ignite real-world consequences.

South Africa’s susceptibility to the vulnerabilities of the digital age stems from a complex interplay of factors, ranging from infrastructure gaps and digital literacy deficiencies to regulatory limitations and evolving cyber threats.

Global Precedents: Learning from Past Battles

South Africa is not alone in facing the perils of cyber-cognitive warfare. The 2016 US elections stand as a stark reminder of its potential: Cambridge Analytica’s targeted micro-advertising and weaponised personal data exposed the vulnerability of democratic processes to online manipulation.

Closer to home, the Bell Pottinger scandal showcased how disinformation campaigns can be used to sow racial division and destabilise governments. Similar tactics have been deployed in elections across the globe, from Kenya to the Philippines, demonstrating the widespread application of cyber-cognitive warfare.

Cyber as a Modern Battlefield: Beyond Information Warfare

Cyber-cognitive warfare extends beyond manipulating public opinion. In recent conflicts, like the Ukraine-Russia war and the Israel-Palestine clashes, cyberattacks have targeted critical infrastructure, disrupting power grids and communication networks. These attacks aim to sow panic, cripple vital services, and undermine public trust in authorities.

The Battlefield: Cyber, Information, and Cognitive Warfare

Before delving deeper, it’s crucial to differentiate the various domains of warfare relevant to this discussion. Cyber warfare involves attacks on computer networks and infrastructure. Information warfare focuses on manipulating the information landscape through propaganda and misinformation. Psychological warfare aims to weaken an opponent’s morale and resolve.

Cognitive warfare takes the manipulation game a step further. It seeks to influence the target’s cognitive processes, including perception, memory, and reasoning, through targeted disinformation, emotional manipulation, and social engineering techniques. As François du Cluzel posits, it’s “an attack on truth and thought” to undermine free will and shape desired behaviours.

Preparing for the 2024 Battle: Building Defences and Fostering Resilience

The 2024 elections necessitate a multi-pronged approach to counter cyber-cognitive warfare. Media literacy initiatives to equip citizens with critical thinking skills and the ability to discern misinformation are crucial. Regulatory frameworks to hold social media platforms accountable for curbing the spread of harmful content are equally important.

Furthermore, fostering open and transparent dialogue across political and social divides can weaken the appeal of divisive narratives. The South African government, civil society organisations, and tech companies must work together to build resilience against cyber-cognitive attacks and safeguard the integrity of the 2024 elections.

Conclusion: Protecting Democracy in the Digital Age

Cyber-cognitive warfare is not a distant threat but a reality with immediate consequences. South Africa’s 2024 elections offer a critical test of the nation’s resilience against this emerging form of warfare. By acknowledging the vulnerabilities, learning from past examples, and building collective defences, South Africa can navigate the complex digital landscape and ensure that its democracy emerges more robust in the face of these new challenges.

The 2024 South African elections are critical in the nation’s history. The potential for cyber-enabled influence campaigns, particularly those employing cognitive warfare tactics, cannot be ignored. By understanding the threat landscape, equipping the populace with critical thinking skills, and promoting responsible online practices, South Africa can safeguard its democratic processes and ensure that informed citizens, not manipulated minds, decide the upcoming elections.

the views we have matter

I woke up much earlier today and had time to do everything I usually have to do in the morning. The difference was that I was not in a hurry….

I also had time to sit and look outside my window to a view I have had for the past year but never really appreciated it or thought much about it…..

From the third floor of this place I sometimes spend my nights at I have two particular views, one is that of the car auction house SMD and the other is of the planes landing and flying out of the airport……..

I have a lot to say about both, but for now, I will focus on the car auction house, which is usually filled with people who walk around to look at the cars they will be bidding on…….

After they walk through the many cars, they then proceed to the security guard who searches them before they move into the hanger……….

Minutes later, a loud voice echoes to the surrounding areas as the auctioneer tries as much as he can to get the best deal for the many cars outside………

But then again, the story is not about the auction but the items being auctioned………..

These thoughtfully branded cars have stories to share, but I will try to share them as much as I can imagine……

One thing that stands out is that they too had a life; one can imagine the hampers given to the buyers when the cars were purchased, the road trips, the tears and the first kisses in these cars…..

Not to mention the babies made in some of these cars; they have seen it all. The tears of joy and sorrow, the pushes…….

All the mechanics that have gone under them touched them, stripped, put them together, the car washes they have been to, the alcohol and food spills, they have seen it all.

These cars are not in the same condition, some will never be repaired thoroughly or repairable, but all these cars are broken one way or the other…..

The owners have moved on to getting new cars. They sit there waiting for someone to notice them, even though they are as broken, they wait for someone to give them another chance………

Someone to bid on them so they can continue to live……

Even those who know very well that they will not be themselves again hope to give life to others and hope to be given another chance through others…..

As the potential buyers walk through the yard, they silently scream, pick me pick me pick……..

They too want to be given a chance, and later in the day some will leave the yard to their new homes either to be refurbished and pimped or to be taken apart………

Either way, they will have left the yard with the hope of another chance…..

A chance that is dependent on the potential buyer……

I suspect life is like this, I don’t have much to say on that, but hopefully, this makes sense.

You may be one of these cars, and one day soon, your buyer will notice you and restore you……

Keep shining……..

The views we have matter….more so when we take time to appreciate them.

Conversations…..

conversations

What conversations are you involved in? What conversations are taking place, but you are not a part of? I am asking about conversations because they are the safest form of communication, or rather, they should be.
A conversation is defined as “a talk, especially an informal one, between two or more people, in which news and ideas are exchanged”. This is a platform where everything that separates us does not matter – race, level of knowledge, position, etc. One would also assume that this form of communication requires those involved in it to have the ability to listen, have some form of emotional intelligence, and even be able to communicate their views clearly.
A lot of work goes behind having conversations that bring positive change, whether it be at a personal level, organizational level, or even at a national and international level.
Unfortunately, while many platforms are created in the guise of facilitating such conversation more often than not, they tend to take a different path. You also find that if someone engages in what is supposed to be a conversation with a paternalistic approach, the process loses its meaning. You often see a situation where one party is not free to engage because they think their input is subordinate to the inputs of the other party.
Be involved in conversations. If you are not involved in any, find one that you can be a part of.
There are different kinds of conversations. With some, we may not be granted the opportunity to participate in them, whereas it is up to us with others. Take, for instance, conversations that have to do with the country’s well-being: I believe we should all be involved in such conversations. While I have to acknowledge that it is not easy to have such, it is only through having them that we shall refine our ability.
In summary, conversations are a critical way of communicating, and we are obliged to have them. There are, however, prerequisites to having effective conversations. Some conversations are essential for us, such as conversations that have to do with national matters. We have to be involved and understand what it means to be involved, be clear as to what we have to bring to the table.
My current conversations………..

convo 2

I am involved in many conversations and would like to have many more conversations. I am mainly engaged in cyber security and business, knowledge, social issues, etc.
My time is consumed by the cyber security conversation. I am not complaining, or maybe I should rather say a security conversation.
Over the past five years, I have spent time researching the field, and I continue to do so because of its ever-changing nature. I have also been privileged enough to be involved in different government departments and the private sector dealing with cyber security. It continues to be an exciting field. At the same time, when you look at how some countries like South Africa are dealing with it, you can’t help but worry.
As a side note, I just want to say that sometimes the people having the “conversation” are wrong. For various reasons, of course…
…But going back to the topic, I think we need to restart the conversation about cyber security, and we must not be shy to do so. There is absolutely nothing wrong with continuing, especially when the context requires a rethink.
Perhaps we should start by looking at the National Development Plan as a guiding document for what the country wants to achieve. I think we have not fully internalized the plan, and we are found wanting all the time. So, any conversation with a national bearing must first start with an understanding and an appropriate interpretation of the NDP.
I think we have missed an opportunity to do this, but all is not lost. Every conversation must be guided by some rules written and unwritten (e.g. relationship rules). Just like the constitution, whatever we plan to do, must not in any way be unconstitutional.
What we have experienced as a country is that we have written policies that we cannot implement. A lazy conclusion in many cases is that we have an implementation problem. We assume that the policies are not the problem; we are the problem because we fail to implement them. Once a policy has been signed, we stick to it, without ever considering that maybe the signed policy is not “implementable” or perhaps the policy itself is no longer relevant because the context has changed.
South Africa has the National Cybersecurity Policy Framework signed by Cabinet in 2012. This happens to be the only guide that deals with cybersecurity directly. Since its introduction, one would assume that much progress would have been made, and we would be much safer. However, we still have a cybercrime and cybersecurity bill in parliament, and I doubt it will be signed soon.
In this case, the conversation we should have answered the “so what now?” question. What does this reality mean for us as a country that is of late not doing very well economically? I know for a fact that there is a conversation taking place, or rather that has been taking place, but the same questions above should be raised. Are those involved in the conversation the right people? I think not. So, while we may not be directly involved in some of the conversations that have an impact on our lives, especially where such conversations are taking place on our behalf, we have to make sure that we know those who are representing us and be sure that they have what it takes to represent us as well.
Although this is a critical topic, it is not the only topic that we all should be having conversations about. Even in matters that we think we already have under control, we must always create platforms where we can evaluate if we are on the right track through conversations.
Let’s sit down and have a conversation. Are you prepared?

Bra G

we are not angry enough

Dumelang Bagaetsho : ) , So a lot has been going on in the country lately as always. But you know when you listen to all the conve

rsation that we are having you tend to see that we are not ok upstairs. Yest
erday’s conversation was about the shackles on one Duduzane Zuma when he appeared in court. So, you can already see that, everything always gets to be racialized. I saw a tweet where they have that guy of the Fees Must Fall in shackles in court and then also have an image of those guys that put that guy in a coffin without shackles while they were also in court.

Continue reading “we are not angry enough”

A Taxonomy of National Challenges in Cyber Defense by Given Shingange and Prof Dr.Dr Watson

Our paper was selected by the University of North Georgia for presentation on the 8-9 Nov 2017.

Abstract

South Africa’s prospects of effective cyber defense

by Given Shingange & Prof Dr. Dr Bruce W. Watson
Many countries all over the world are finding themselves trying to figure out how best to tackle cyber defense challenges that continue to be on the rise. This has led to country specific initiatives, regional alliance initiatives and new relationships being formed. The purpose of the paper is to taxonomize the national challenges facing South Africa’s attempts at establishing an effective cyber defense policy. This will be achieved by looking at the current (South African) National Cybersecurity Policy Framework and comparing it with those of other countries that are classified as similar to South Africa.
The research of course shows that every country has its own unique challenges that have to be properly analyzed before attempts to implement policies are put in place. The taxonomy adds value by indicating the magnitude of the challenges and how they differ from other countries. In South Africa’s case, one factor that stands out is the fact that South Africa is a fairly new democracy that has gone through a couple of metamorphoses – including the fusion of armed disparate armed forces – which have significant impact on the path forward.
What our research will show is the dependencies between the solutions that the first world countries come up with and the problems that are faced by the second world countries. If a first world country is struggling to find solutions or decide on what needs to be done within the cyber defense environment, this automatically means those countries that depend on the first world country stand to suffer the most. Because of the technological dependencies the second world countries such as South Africa find themselves having to find solutions outside of the normal status quo as provided by those who may have been in the lead.

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