Zuko Komisa

Minister Dean Macpherson of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) has chosen to unveil a startling cybercrime that has involved the theft of R300 million over the last ten years.
The Hawks, the State Security Agency, the South African Police Services, and specialists in the ICT and cyber security fields launched a thorough forensic investigation as a result.
In the most recent incident, which happened in May 2024, the hackers managed to pilfer an additional R24 million.
“It has become clear that the department has been a soft target and playground for cyber criminals for over a 10-year period and this should have been picked up a lot earlier. I felt it important to let South Africa know what has happened and what we are doing about it,”
“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,” the Minister said.
“We want to put a stop to this immediately because we cannot allow our department to be subjected to unchecked looting. This is money that could have been spent on our infrastructure drive to improve the lives of South Africans.
“The investigation will be expanded and deepened to find the masterminds and the beneficiaries of this grand theft, and I want to see them in prison,”
Minister Dean Macpherson
I have decided to take the public into confidence and advise South Africa that at least R300 million has been stolen from the department in the last 10 years in an elaborate scheme by cyber-hackers, and potentially officials within the department. It is unthinkable that this has… pic.twitter.com/5yR5f3ld7w
— Dean Macpherson MP (@DeanMacpherson) July 10, 2024
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