City makes arrests in IT nerve centre sabotage
17 November 2017
I am happy to announce the arrest of 3 suspects by the South African Police Services (SAPS), working together the City’s Group Forensic Investigation Department and the JMPD following a break-in at our data centre in Braamfontein last weekend.
The arrests are the result of a tip-off received from a member of the public regarding the theft. Two of the suspects were arrested in Tembisa yesterday afternoon while another was apprehended earlier today. However, the investigation is still on-going.
The City is currently in the process of building its data centre and disaster recovery centre.
We are investing in the protection of our citizen’s information, while ensuring that we build capacity internally, with the aim of hosting our data infrastructure while minimizing our dependency on suppliers to host our infrastructure.
Earlier, I had indicated my suspicion that the break-in was the result of an inside job, judging from the way that the criminals gained access to the building. There are no signs of forced entry from the door they used.
During last weekend’s theft, the criminals made off with copper cables estimated to be around R2-million. This valuable infrastructure was sold by these criminals for R20 000. The City spends about R60 million a year replacing stolen cables.
We have since recovered these stolen cables at a scrapyard in Develand, South of Johannesburg.
The City will engaging with law enforcement authorities to ensure that we continue the investigation and get to the bottom of this matter.
I also want to eliminate corrupt elements throughout the City including investigating illicit deals and contracts that were secured by the previous administration; this includes our technology space.
Information and data are assets that should be protected from vulnerability and from being illegally accessed. The City will ensure it does all that possible to keep this data safe.
I would like to thank all the role players involved in this operation, especially the SAPS for their continued support.
Statement issued by Cllr Herman Mashaba, Executive Mayor, City of Johannesburg, 17 November 2017
