Cybersecurity Emerges as Key Focus in South Africa's Recent National Security Strategy
South Africa has unveiled its National Security Strategy (NSS) 2024-2029 and National Intelligence Priorities (NIPs), placing cybersecurity and digital infrastructure protection at the heart of its efforts to counter evolving threats, particularly state-sponsored cyber attacks and organised cybercrime.
The NSS 2024-2029, which includes Pillar 5: Protection of cyberspace and the environment, aims to strengthen South Africa's sovereignty in the information space. Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who formally released the public versions of the NSS, NIE, and NIPs, emphasised the importance of choosing transparency over secrecy, service over self-interest, and reform over inertia.
The strategy outlines several specific measures to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity posture. Elevating cybersecurity to a counter-intelligence priority means that cyber defense is integrated with counter-intelligence to detect, deter, and neutralise threats proactively instead of reacting post-incident.
To develop strong counter-intelligence capabilities, the government plans to enhance threat intelligence gathering, improve inter-agency coordination, and invest in cyber skills and technologies. Modernising legacy IT systems is another priority, with the government aiming to upgrade outdated systems, implement robust access controls, and enforce regular security audits to reduce vulnerabilities.
The government also adopts a 'prevention-first' cybersecurity posture, which entails multi-layered defenses, zero-trust architectures, regular vulnerability testing, and incident response protocols that operate under the assumption that breaches may occur. Traditional defenses like firewalls and antivirus software are considered insufficient on their own.
Continuous upskilling and cybersecurity training for public sector employees is a key priority, ensuring government workers can recognise and respond effectively to cyber threats. Establishing a national cyber command or coordination centre will facilitate faster responses and improved collaboration across government departments to contain cyber threats more efficiently.
Strengthening cyber forensic capabilities and addressing procurement and IT system vulnerabilities are other measures aimed at reducing reliance on foreign vendors and securing supply chains and critical infrastructure. Fostering public-private partnerships is also critical to gain access to global intelligence, best practices, and enhanced defensive technologies.
In addition, the government is advancing a Digital Transformation Roadmap and rolling out a Data Management Programme to support evidence-based policy-making and improve ICT governance, which indirectly strengthens digital infrastructure resilience.
These combined efforts reflect South Africa’s recognition of the increasing cyber threat landscape—reportedly over 3,800 cyber attacks per week—and position cybersecurity as a foundational element of national security for the 2024-2029 period.
The released NIE 2019-2024 offers a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment of the strategic challenges and opportunities facing South Africa, with cyber threats, illegal migration, espionage, transnational organised crime, climate security, and domestic instability among the critical threats identified.
The release of these national security documents is significant as it is the first time in the history of the Republic of South Africa that such instruments of national intelligence are being released in a transparent and structured manner, marking a shift in the relationship between the intelligence community, the state, Parliament, and the people, emphasising transparency and accountability. The released documents maintain the required integrity for national security while promoting constitutional accountability and national resilience.
- South Africa's National Security Strategy (NSS) 2024-2029, particularly Pillar 5: Protection of cyberspace and the environment, aims to strengthen the country's cybersecurity posture and digital infrastructure protection by intentionally integrating cyber defense with counter-intelligence.
- To reduce vulnerabilities in South Africa's IT systems, the government plans to modernize legacy systems, implement robust access controls, and enforce regular security audits.
- Recognizing the increasing cyber threat landscape, South Africa is adopting a 'prevention-first' cybersecurity posture, which includes multi-layered defenses, zero-trust architectures, regular vulnerability testing, and incident response protocols.
- In line with strengthening national security, ongoing cybersecurity training for public sector employees and the establishment of a national cyber command or coordination center are critical to increase efficiency in responding to cyber threats.
