DA welcomes public reception to the Cyber Commissioner Bill

12 December 2022

The DA welcomes the overwhelming public response to the party’s proposed Cyber Commissioner Bill.

Following the DA’s publication of its Notice of Intention to Introduce the Constitution Eighteenth Amendment Bill or the "Cyber Commissioner” Bill, the DA has received comments from all corners of society.

Furthermore, the party is encouraged by the widespread media interest shown in the objectives of the Cyber Commissioner Bill.

The DA will now begin considering all comments received ahead of the introduction of the Cyber Commissioner Bill into Parliament next year.

The DA’s proposed Cyber Commissioner Bill will seek to establish a new Chapter 9 institution tasked with supporting and strengthening constitutional democracy through advising, monitoring and establishing cyber security capability in the public sector, while also working with tertiary institutions and the public sector to establish minimum good standards and building cyber security capacity.

The office of the Cyber Commissioner will assist the state in modernising its cyber security capabilities and protecting the South African public against loss of personal information and interception of data.

It has become increasingly clear that South African state departments are not sufficiently protected against cyber threats. The Postbank recently revealed in Parliament that it has lost over R18 million to cybercrime attacks in a 3 month period. It was also revealed earlier this year that the Postbank had suffered a loss of at least R90 million in a cybercrime attack in October 2021.

South Africa urgently needs a dedicated Cyber Commissioner to enhance public sector cyber security capabilities. The DA will be providing further details on the Cyber Commissioner Bill in early 2023.

Issued by Glynnis Breytenbach, DA Shadow Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, 12 December 2022