Cyber security is one component of South African Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni’s responsibilities with her “assuring” the country it is receiving the necessary attention.

A statement yesterday (Thursday 11 July) in the wake of so-called “revelations” of at least R300 million lost to cyber theft at the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) over a 10 year period has it an SSA (State Security Agency) investigation is “ongoing”. This comes over two months after then DPWI minister Sihle Zikalala said a multi-disciplinary team, including the SSA, was busy with “a full forensic investigation” on the illegal “siphoning off” of departmental funds.

Patricia de Lille, now Tourism Minister and former incumbent of the public works and infrastructure portfolio, was quick to respond to her successor Dean MacPherson’s announcement of the apparent massive cybercrime.  She will meet him and “request a copy of the report [relating to the alleged theft] for the period relevant to my time at DWI”. She notes during her DPWI tenancy R253 million was recovered relating to lease overcharging adding where corruption was found “I acted swiftly,” reporting matters to the Auditor General (AG) and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).

According to Ntshaveni the DPWI investigation is “still ongoing” with teams “urged to work with speed” to finish “without compromising the thoroughness of the investigation”.

On government and cyber security she noted “the SSA continues to provide support and advice to government departments on cyber security”. The agency is finalising a consolidated assessment on government’s cyber security strengths, and initiatives are underway to address any weaknesses found in the system. The report, once completed, will be submitted to the National Security Council (NSC) for further processing and direction, her statement reads in part.

MacPherson, the GNU (Government of National Unity) DPWI minister, said it was important to let South Africans know what happened and “what we are doing about it”. He is reported as saying “I cannot discount the possibility of collusion between officials and criminals in this prolonged period of theft. It is clear that we need better financial controls which I have said to the department are a matter of urgency”.

To date the DPWI investigation has seen four officials, three in senior management positions, suspended and 30 laptops confiscated.