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Spy Agency Denies China Breach While SA Faces Cybercrime Surge
When a report alleged that South Africa’s most secretive security body had been breached by Chinese hackers, the rumour quickly ignited national concern. After all, if the country’s own intelligence agency could be infiltrated, what hope would ordinary institutions have
Yet according to Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, the Minister in the Presidency responsible for state security, the country’s State Security Agency remains uncompromised. She told Parliament there is no evidence that foreign hackers broke into the SSA’s systems. The minister labelled the allegations speculative and malicious, criticising the intelligence firm that first raised the red flag.
Questions were posed by Democratic Alliance MP Diane Kohler Barnard, who highlighted the seriousness of claims made earlier this year. Ntshavheni responded firmly. She insisted that technical indicators of any breach were nowhere to be found. She also urged anyone with real evidence to hand it over for investigation.
Recordings and research conducted by global cybersecurity analysts had previously pointed to a likely breach involving a Chinese state-linked hacking group known as RedNovember. Their assessment suggested that a security organisation in Africa had been targeted. South Africa appeared to be the only plausible match.
So far, the SSA is sticking to its position. No evidence. No intrusion. No breach.
A Bigger Picture: Cybercrime Rising Fast
Whether or not the spy agency was hacked, one thing is undeniable. South Africa is grappling with a worsening cybersecurity crisis. The Information Regulator has confirmed thousands of data breaches across public and private sectors in the past year alone. Notices of compromised information have climbed sharply since April.
Information Regulator chairperson Pansy Tlakula has sounded the alarm. She says the trend reflects a severe lack of adequate protection for personal information. She is urging major organisations to invest seriously in keeping their systems secure, warning that many compromises still go unreported.
The list of recent victims reads like a who’s who of South African institutions. Not even churches or major hospitals have been spared. A ransomware group threatened to publish 150 GB of stolen digital records from the Methodist Church of South Africa. Another group claimed responsibility for an attack on Altron Netstar that resulted in an enormous leak on the dark web.
Mediclinic faced its own scare when attackers exfiltrated staff information earlier in the year. Even the Zondo Commission website, the epicentre of one of the country’s most important public inquiries, was hijacked and replaced with gambling links. Global brands such as Adidas South Africa have also had to admit client data may have been exposed.
The Public’s Growing Anxiety
Cybercrime has become a daily reality for South Africans. People are increasingly aware that their personal details, once lost, cannot easily be retrieved. There is mounting public frustration over how often breaches happen and how quietly institutions are allowed to respond.
The SSA denial may calm fears that national secrets have been stolen. Yet the conversation has shifted. Citizens want stronger defences, greater transparency, and a sense that their information matters.
South Africa’s digital future depends on whether companies and government bodies are willing to prioritise cybersecurity rather than react to disaster afterwards. If investment continues to lag, the next attack might hit even closer to home.
A Call to Action
The SSA might have dodged one headline. However, the broader reality is clear. Cybercriminals are targeting South Africa like never before. Strengthening cyber resilience must now become a national priority because trust in digital systems is fast becoming one of the country’s most valuable assets.
Also read: South Africa’s Quiet Comeback: Confidence Is Rising and the Economy Is Strengthening
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Source: MyBroadband
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