1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Context
1.1.1 The UN General Assembly Resolution 56/183 (21 December 2001) endorsed
the holding of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in two
phases. The objective of the first phase in Geneva was to develop and foster
a clear statement of political will and take concrete steps to establish
foundations for an Information Society for all, reflecting all the different
interests at stake. The objective of the second phase in Tunis was to put
Geneva’s Plan of Action into motion as well as to find solutions and reach
agreements in the field of internet governance, financing mechanisms, and
follow up and implementation of the Geneva and Tunis documents. The
WSIS Action line C5 identifies the need to build confidence and security in
the use of ICT’s.
1.1.2 The Tunis World Summit on the Information Society mandated the ITU to
assist in further developing the Global cybersecurity Agenda (GCA), a HighLevel Experts Group on cybersecurity (HLEG) was established to support the
Secretary General to assist countries to develop cybersecurity intervention
identified the following key pillars: organisational structures, legal, technical
and
procedural
measures,
international
collaboration,
and
national
partnership of stakeholders.
1.1.3 South African does not have a coordinated approach to dealing with
cybersecurity in South Africa. Whilst various structures have been
established to deal with cybersecurity issues, the structures are inadequate
to deal with cyber security issues holistically.
1.1.4 There are various legal provisions addressing cybersecurity in South Africa.
However these provisions do not adequately address the legal challenges
South Africa faces to effectively deal with cybercrime.
1.1.5 Securing our cyberspace also requires international collaboration given the
global interconnection of ICT’s. South Africa’s does not have extensive
international collaboration with other countries to support its cybersecurity
initiatives to secure South African cyberspace.
1.1.6 The development of interventions to address cybercrime requires a
partnership between business, government and civil society. Unless these
spheres of society work together, South Africa’s efforts to achieve its
cybersecurity policy objective will be severely compromised.
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