The Influence of South Africa’s Democratic Principles on its Cybersecurity Framework and Cyber Threat Response A Qualitative Inquiry
Main Article Content
Keywords
Cyber threat
Abstract
This study explores the intricate relationship between South Africa's democratic political system, its commitment to human and private rights, and the development of its cybersecurity framework, strategy, and response to cyber threats. Given the country's robust constitutional commitment to human rights, this research explores how these democratic principles are integrated into and influence cybersecurity policies and practices. Through a comprehensive analysis of legislative documents, policy frameworks, this study identifies the extent to which democratic values and human rights considerations shape South Africa's approach to cybersecurity.
The findings reveal that South Africa's cybersecurity strategy is deeply influenced by its democratic ethos, with a strong emphasis on protecting individual rights while ensuring national security. The study highlights how laws such as the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and the Cybercrimes Act balance the need for security with the protection of privacy and freedom of expression. Furthermore, it explores the multi-stakeholder approach adopted by South Africa, emphasizing public participation, transparency, and accountability in developing and implementing cybersecurity measures. This research also explores the challenges and tensions that arise from striving to protect human rights within the cybersecurity domain, such as ensuring privacy and freedom of information in the face of increasing cyber threats. The study provides insights into how South Africa navigates these challenges, including the mechanisms put in place to ensure oversight and accountability in the surveillance and data collection practices by state security agencies.
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References
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De Wet Potgieter,” Absa Intercepts Land Bank Swindle,” Saturday Star, 8 January 2011, http://www.iol.co.za/business/companies/absa-intercepts-land-bank-swindle-1.1009423.
Douglass Cecil North, Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990), 1-159.
Ewan Sutherland, “Governance of Cybersecurity: The Case of South Africa,” The African Journal of Information and Communication 20, no.20(December 2017): 84, https://doi.org/10.23962/10539/23574.
Geoffrey Hawker, “Challenges for Parliament in South Africa,” Australian Parliamentary Review 22, no.1(April 2007): 97-113.
Geoffrey Hawker, “Missing cadres? Listing Voting and the ANC’s Management of its Parliamentarians in the National Assembly, 1999-2003,” Journal of African Elections 2, no.2 (October 2003):97-115, https://doi.org/10.20940/JAE/2003/v2i2a7.
Harold Patrick, “Security Information Flow in the Public Sector: KZN Health and Education,” (PhD thesis., University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2015).
Jan Andress, Steve Winterland,eds., Cybercrime Warfare: Techniques, Tactics and Tools for Security Practitioners, 2014(Waltham: Elsevier, 2014).
Joel Chigada, “Toward an Aligned South Africa National Cybersecurity Policy Framework” (PhD thesis., University of Cape Town, 2023), http://hdl.handle.net/11427/38253.
Mbongwa, Makua, “Moroccan Hackers Blamed for Website Blitz,” IOL News, 13 January 2005, http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-african/moroccan-hackerss-blamed-for-website-blitz-231419.
Michael, J. Sodaro, Comparative Politics: A Global Introduction(New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004), 31.
Nir Kshetri, “Cybercrime and Cybersecurity in Africa,” Journal of Global Information Technology Management 22, no.2(April 2019): 77-81, https://doi.org/10.1080/1097198X.2019.1603527.
Norton South Africa, “2012 Norton Cybercrime Report,” 2012, http://za.norton.com/cybercrimereport/promo?inid=ukhhodownloadshomelinkcybercrimereport.
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Virginia Braun, Victoria Clarke, “Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology,” Qualitative Research in Psychology 3, no.2(January 2006): https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.
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Deloitte, Outsourcing is good for job creation in South Africa, (Johannesburg: Deloitte & Touche, 2015).
Jerry Brito, Tate Watkins, “Loving the cyber bomb? The dangers of threat inflation in cybersecurity policy,” Harvard National Security Journal 3, no.1 (December 2011): 39-84, http://harvardnsj.org/2011/12/loving-the-cyber-bomb-the-dangers-of-threat-inflation-in-cybersecurity-policy/.
O’ Keeffe v Argue Printing & Publishing Company Ltd, 1954(3) SA 244 (C).
RDM News Wire, “One in 10 SA businesses has experienced cyber attack in past year, Sowetan Live, 03 November 2015, http://sowetanlive.co.za/news/2015-11-03-one-in-10-sa-business-has-experienced-cyber-attack-in-past-year/.
UN Human Rights Commission, CCPR/C/IAF/Z0/1: Concluding observations on the initial report of South Africa, (Geneva: Office of the High Commissioner, 2016).
Van Vuuren, Grobler, Leenen, Phahlamohlaka, Proposed model for a cybersecurity centre of innovation for South Africa, (Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag, 293-306. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44208-1_24
Suggested reading
De Lanerolle, 1. (2016). “Internet Freedom: Why Access Is Becoming a Human Right.” http://theme diaonline.co.za/2016/06/intemet-freedom-why-access-is-beconiing-ahuman-right/
Gcaza, N. & von Solms, R. (2017). “A Strategy for A Cybersecurity Culture: A South African Perspective,” The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, 80(6): 1—17. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1681-4835.2017.tb00590.x
Lewis, C. (2015). “SA Ranks High in Cybercrime.” www.sabc.co.za/news/a/ebe2b3004a2f054d9f61d fa53d9712ffi/SA-ranks-high-in-cybercrime-20151012 Lotz, B. (2015). “We Don’t Have Enough People to Cope with Cybercrime,” Hawks. Cybersecurity News, www.htxt.co.za/2015/09/10/we-dont-have-enoughpeople-to-cope-with-cybercrime-hawks/ SA Government Gazette. (2015). “National Cybersecurity Policy Framework for South Africa.” von Solms, R. & van Niekerk, J. (2013). “From Information Security to Cyber Security,” Computers & Security, 38: 97-102.
References
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amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism NPC and Stephen Patrick Sole v Minister of Justice and Correctional Services and 9 other respondents. (2019). Case no.: 25978/17, High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Pretoria.
Bramwell, L. (2017, August 21). “Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services: Cybersecurity,” Research Unit, Parliament Portfolio Committee of Telecommunications and Postal Services.
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Donnelly, L. (2018, June 22). “Another Day, Another Data Breach,” Mail and Guardian.
Duncan,J. (2015). The Rise of the Securoaats: The Case of South Africa. Johannesburg: Jacana.
Dunn Cavelty, M. (2016). “Cyber-Security,” in A. Collins (ed.), Contemporary Security Studies (4th ed. pp. 400-416). New York: Oxford University Press.
Ferreira, E. (2019). “National Assembly Approves Critical Infrastructure Protection Bill, IOL News.” www.iol.co.za/news/politics/national-assembly-approves-critical-infrastructure-protection-bill- 19647155
Gereda, S. L. (2006). “The Electronic Communication and Transactions Act,” in L. Thornton, Y. Carrim, P. Mtshaulana & P. Reyburn (eds.), Telecommunications Law in South Africa (pp. 262-294). Johannesburg: STE Publishers.
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Pillay, V. (2014, September 2). “IEC Chair Pansy Tlakula Resigns.” Mail and Guardian.
Privacy International. (2019). “The State of Privacy in South Africa.” https://privacyintemational.org/ state-privacy /1010/state-privacy-south-africa
Right2Know Campaign. (2015, November 30). “Preliminary Position on the Draft Cybercrimes and Cybersecurity Bill.”
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RSA. (2013, November 26). “Department of Communication Review Report: E-commerce, Cybercrime and Cybersecurity - Status, Gaps and the Road Ahead.”
RSA. (2013a). “Ministerial Review Commission on Intelligence (Matthews Commission).”
RSA. (2014). South African Defence Review 2014. Pretoria: Government Printer.
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RSA. (2015b). “Address by Dr. Siyabonga Cwele, Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services at the Launch of the Cybersecurity Hub at CS1R,” Pretoria, South Africa, www.gov.za/speeches/ minister-siyabonga-cwele-launch-cybersecurity-hub-30-oct-2015-0000 RSA. (2017, February 28). “Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS), Cybersecurity Briefing to the Portfolio Committee of Parliament.”
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Brett van Niekerk, “An Analysis of Cyber-Incidents in South Africa,” The African Journal of Information and Communication 20, no.20 (December 2017):114, https://doi.org/10.23962/10539/23573.
De Wet Potgieter,” Absa Intercepts Land Bank Swindle,” Saturday Star, 8 January 2011, http://www.iol.co.za/business/companies/absa-intercepts-land-bank-swindle-1.1009423.
Douglass Cecil North, Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990), 1-159.
Ewan Sutherland, “Governance of Cybersecurity: The Case of South Africa,” The African Journal of Information and Communication 20, no.20(December 2017): 84, https://doi.org/10.23962/10539/23574.
Geoffrey Hawker, “Challenges for Parliament in South Africa,” Australian Parliamentary Review 22, no.1(April 2007): 97-113.
Geoffrey Hawker, “Missing cadres? Listing Voting and the ANC’s Management of its Parliamentarians in the National Assembly, 1999-2003,” Journal of African Elections 2, no.2 (October 2003):97-115, https://doi.org/10.20940/JAE/2003/v2i2a7.
Harold Patrick, “Security Information Flow in the Public Sector: KZN Health and Education,” (PhD thesis., University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2015).
Jan Andress, Steve Winterland,eds., Cybercrime Warfare: Techniques, Tactics and Tools for Security Practitioners, 2014(Waltham: Elsevier, 2014).
Joel Chigada, “Toward an Aligned South Africa National Cybersecurity Policy Framework” (PhD thesis., University of Cape Town, 2023), http://hdl.handle.net/11427/38253.
Mbongwa, Makua, “Moroccan Hackers Blamed for Website Blitz,” IOL News, 13 January 2005, http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-african/moroccan-hackerss-blamed-for-website-blitz-231419.
Michael, J. Sodaro, Comparative Politics: A Global Introduction(New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004), 31.
Nir Kshetri, “Cybercrime and Cybersecurity in Africa,” Journal of Global Information Technology Management 22, no.2(April 2019): 77-81, https://doi.org/10.1080/1097198X.2019.1603527.
Norton South Africa, “2012 Norton Cybercrime Report,” 2012, http://za.norton.com/cybercrimereport/promo?inid=ukhhodownloadshomelinkcybercrimereport.
Pokwana, Kyobe, Investigating the Mis-alignment in the Existing E-Legislation of South Africa, 38.
SABC News, “Cyber-attacks reaching a critical point in South Africa,” 19 April 2017, http://www.timenews.co.za/in-sa-wednesday-19-april-2017.
Siyabonga Mkhwanazi, “Roads Agnecy Account Hacked for R8.5.m.,” IOL News, 12 October 2015, https://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/roads-agency-account-hacked-for-r8.5m-1.1928834.
Thennix Roux, “Constitutional Courts as Democratic Consolidators: Insights from South Africa After 20 Years,” Journal of Southern African Studies 42, no.1(January 2016): 5-18, https://doi.org/10.1080/03057070.2016.1084770.
Virginia Braun, Victoria Clarke, “Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology,” Qualitative Research in Psychology 3, no.2(January 2006): https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.
“African Union,” African Union Convention on cyber security and personal data protection, adopted 27 June 2014, https://au.int/en/treaties/african-union-convention-cyber-security-and-personal-data-protection.
“South African Government,” Minister David Mahlobo: State security Department Budget Vote 2015/16, accessed April 2024, www.gov.za/news/speeches/minister-david-mahlobo-state-security-dept-budget-vote-201516-05-may-2015.
Christine Greyvenstein, “Aarto Website latest hacking victim,” ITWeb, 24 April 2013, www.itweb.co.za/articles/aarto-web-site-latest-hacking-victim/3mYZRXv93zNMOgA8.
Deloitte, Outsourcing is good for job creation in South Africa, (Johannesburg: Deloitte & Touche, 2015).
Jerry Brito, Tate Watkins, “Loving the cyber bomb? The dangers of threat inflation in cybersecurity policy,” Harvard National Security Journal 3, no.1 (December 2011): 39-84, http://harvardnsj.org/2011/12/loving-the-cyber-bomb-the-dangers-of-threat-inflation-in-cybersecurity-policy/.
O’ Keeffe v Argue Printing & Publishing Company Ltd, 1954(3) SA 244 (C).
RDM News Wire, “One in 10 SA businesses has experienced cyber attack in past year, Sowetan Live, 03 November 2015, http://sowetanlive.co.za/news/2015-11-03-one-in-10-sa-business-has-experienced-cyber-attack-in-past-year/.
UN Human Rights Commission, CCPR/C/IAF/Z0/1: Concluding observations on the initial report of South Africa, (Geneva: Office of the High Commissioner, 2016).
Van Vuuren, Grobler, Leenen, Phahlamohlaka, Proposed model for a cybersecurity centre of innovation for South Africa, (Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag, 293-306. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-44208-1_24
Suggested reading
De Lanerolle, 1. (2016). “Internet Freedom: Why Access Is Becoming a Human Right.” http://theme diaonline.co.za/2016/06/intemet-freedom-why-access-is-beconiing-ahuman-right/
Gcaza, N. & von Solms, R. (2017). “A Strategy for A Cybersecurity Culture: A South African Perspective,” The Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries, 80(6): 1—17. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1681-4835.2017.tb00590.x
Lewis, C. (2015). “SA Ranks High in Cybercrime.” www.sabc.co.za/news/a/ebe2b3004a2f054d9f61d fa53d9712ffi/SA-ranks-high-in-cybercrime-20151012 Lotz, B. (2015). “We Don’t Have Enough People to Cope with Cybercrime,” Hawks. Cybersecurity News, www.htxt.co.za/2015/09/10/we-dont-have-enoughpeople-to-cope-with-cybercrime-hawks/ SA Government Gazette. (2015). “National Cybersecurity Policy Framework for South Africa.” von Solms, R. & van Niekerk, J. (2013). “From Information Security to Cyber Security,” Computers & Security, 38: 97-102.
References
Africa, S. (2012). “The Policy Evolution of the South African Civilian Intelligence Services: 1994 to 2009 and Beyond,” Strategic Review for Southern Africa, 34(1): 97—134.
amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism NPC and Stephen Patrick Sole v Minister of Justice and Correctional Services and 9 other respondents. (2019). Case no.: 25978/17, High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Pretoria.
Bramwell, L. (2017, August 21). “Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services: Cybersecurity,” Research Unit, Parliament Portfolio Committee of Telecommunications and Postal Services.
Burbidge, M. (2019, May 29). “Can SA Survive a Cyber Attack?” IT Web. www.itweb.co.za/content/ mQwkoM6Kayeq3r9A
Centre for Constitutional Rights. (2017, August 10). “Concise Submission on the Cybercrimes and Cybersecurity Bill [B 6-2017].”
Donnelly, L. (2018, June 22). “Another Day, Another Data Breach,” Mail and Guardian.
Duncan,J. (2015). The Rise of the Securoaats: The Case of South Africa. Johannesburg: Jacana.
Dunn Cavelty, M. (2016). “Cyber-Security,” in A. Collins (ed.), Contemporary Security Studies (4th ed. pp. 400-416). New York: Oxford University Press.
Ferreira, E. (2019). “National Assembly Approves Critical Infrastructure Protection Bill, IOL News.” www.iol.co.za/news/politics/national-assembly-approves-critical-infrastructure-protection-bill- 19647155
Gereda, S. L. (2006). “The Electronic Communication and Transactions Act,” in L. Thornton, Y. Carrim, P. Mtshaulana & P. Reyburn (eds.), Telecommunications Law in South Africa (pp. 262-294). Johannesburg: STE Publishers.
Grobler, M., van Vuuren, J. J. & Leenen, L. (2011). “Implementation of a Cyber Security Policy in South Africa: Reflection on Progress and the Way Forward,” in M. D. Hercheui, D. Whitehouse, W. Mclver & J. Phahlamohlaka (eds.), 1CT Critical Infrastructures and Society (pp. 215-225). HCC 2012. IF1P Advances in Information and Communication Technology, Vol. 386. Berlin and Heidelberk: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-33332-3_20
ISPA. (2015). “Submission on the Draft Cybercrime Cybersecurity Bill 2015.” https://ispa.org.za/wp- content/uploads/2012/06/20151130-ISPA-Submission-on-the-Draft-Cybercrime-Cybersecurity- Bill-2015.pdf
ITU. (2008, April). “Overview of Cybersecurity: Recommendation ITU-T X.1205,” Geneva, Switzerland. www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-X.1205-200804-I Luiijf, E., Besseling, K. & de Graaf, P. (2013). “Nineteen National Cyber Security Strategies,” International Journal of Critical Infrastructures, 9(1/2): 3-31. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJCIS.2013.051608
Mangena, D. (2016). “Will Legislation Protect Your Virtual Space? Discussing the Draft Cybercrime and Cyber Security’ Bill,” De Rebus, 560: 33—34.
Mare, A. & Duncan, J. (2015). “An Analysis of the Communications Surveillance Legislative Framework in South Africa,” Media Policy and Democracy Project, www.mediaanddemocracy.com/uploads/1/ 6/5/7/16577624/comms-surveillance-framework_mare2.pdt Maurer, T. (2011). “Cyber Norm Emergence at the United Nations - An Analysis of the UN’s Activities Regarding Cyber-security,” Discussion Paper 2011-11, Cambridge, MA: Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, September 2011.
Media Monitoring Africa, MMA. (2018). Inquiry into the role and responsibilities of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa in cybersecurity: Submissions by Media Monitoring Africa on the discussion document. 30 November 2018. https://www.icasa.org.za/uploads/files/ MMA-submission-discussion-document-on-cybersecurity.pdf Mzekandaba, S. (2019, June 27). “Top-level UN Human Rights Role Gives Tlakula Extra Digital Power,” IT Web. www.itweb.co.za/content/wbrpOMgPlrgqDLZn Newmeyer, К. P. (2015). Elements of National Cybersecurity Strategy for Developing Nations,” National Cybersecurity Institute Journal, 1(3): 9—19.
O’Brien, K. A. (2011). The South African Intelligence Services: Front Apartheid to Democracy, 1948—2005. New York: Routledge.
Olivier, B. (2013, July 28). “Is There a Need for Cyber-ethics?” Mail and Guardian. https://thoughtle ader.co.za/bertolivier/2013/07/28/is-there-a-need-for-cyber-ethics/
O’Reilly, K. (2013). “South African Law Coming to Grips with Cyber Crime,” De Rebus 530: 14—15. Orji, U. (2012). Cybersecurity Law and Regulation. Nijmegen: Wolf Legal Publishers.
Pillay, V. (2014, September 2). “IEC Chair Pansy Tlakula Resigns.” Mail and Guardian.
Privacy International. (2019). “The State of Privacy in South Africa.” https://privacyintemational.org/ state-privacy /1010/state-privacy-south-africa
Right2Know Campaign. (2015, November 30). “Preliminary Position on the Draft Cybercrimes and Cybersecurity Bill.”
Right2Know Campaign. (2017, August 10). “Cybercrimes, Cybersecurity, and Internet Freedom: Right2Know Campaign Submission on the Cybercrimes and Cybersecurity Bill.”
RSA. (2010). “Draft Cyber Security Policy of South Africa,” Annex to Government Gazette, 536(32963): 4-12.
RSA. (2010a). “Annual Report of the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence for Financial Year Ending 31 March 2010.” Parliament ATC.l 10921.
RSA. (2013, November 26). “Department of Communication Review Report: E-commerce, Cybercrime and Cybersecurity - Status, Gaps and the Road Ahead.”
RSA. (2013a). “Ministerial Review Commission on Intelligence (Matthews Commission).”
RSA. (2014). South African Defence Review 2014. Pretoria: Government Printer.
RSA. (2015a). “State Security Agency, Notice Number 609 of 2015,” Government Gazette, 609(39475): 67-95.
RSA. (2015b). “Address by Dr. Siyabonga Cwele, Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services at the Launch of the Cybersecurity Hub at CS1R,” Pretoria, South Africa, www.gov.za/speeches/ minister-siyabonga-cwele-launch-cybersecurity-hub-30-oct-2015-0000 RSA. (2017, February 28). “Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS), Cybersecurity Briefing to the Portfolio Committee of Parliament.”
RSA. (2017a). “Department of Justice and Constitutional Development Memorandum on the Objects of Cybercrimes and Cybersecurity Bill.”
RSA. (2017b). Department of Defence Annual Performance Plan for 2017. Pretoria: Government Printer.
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Apr 2, 2025
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The Influence of South Africa’s Democratic Principles on its Cybersecurity Framework and Cyber Threat Response: A Qualitative Inquiry. (2025). Journal of BRICS Studies, 3(2), 55-71. https://doi.org/10.36615/ht042y63
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The Influence of South Africa’s Democratic Principles on its Cybersecurity Framework and Cyber Threat Response: A Qualitative Inquiry. (2025). Journal of BRICS Studies, 3(2), 55-71. https://doi.org/10.36615/ht042y63