The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Sihle Zikalala has ordered a full forensic investigation into the department’s Information and Technology Systems, following vulnerabilities identified with the assistance of our banking partners including ABSA and the South African Reserve Bank.
The investigation will involve among others the Hawks, South African Police Services, experts in the ICT and cyber security industry.
The investigation will cover the following issues:
- Vulnerability and resilience of ICT infrastructure within the department
- Capacity of staff and ICT systems
- Improvement of internal controls
Minister Zikalala is concerned that the department may be becoming a soft target for increasingly sophisticated cyber-crimes due to the nature of its business. The department is at this stage quantifying the impact of the vulnerabilities and with the support of experts build its cyber resilience capabilities.
The current investigations will have implication on the processing of payments to creditors and beneficiaries. The Department appeals for patience to all its partners as it undertakes these measures to protect itself, state resources and its clients from cyber criminals.
For more information contact: Lennox Mabaso Head Communication on – 0828842403 or Thami Mchunu on 0795196997
