Is Africa cyber-crime-savvy?
Friday, June 28, 2019
Cyber awareness must become part of every aspect of life from doing business to alleviating poverty and providing security. KAREN ALLEN* writes
It started with loud music and the smell of marijuana. When South African police stormed a hotel room in the Western Cape they found six people huddled over 32 computers and mobile devices. This extortion syndicate was extracting millions of dollars from unwitting individuals.
A senior source at South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says such “boiler rooms” of malicious cyber activity are rapidly expanding.
Whilst celebrating milestones in inclusivity, with notably P5 billion awarded to vulnerable groups, the report sounds a 'siren' on a dangerous and growing trend: the ballooning use of micro-procurement. That this method, designed for small-scale, efficient purchases, now accounts for a staggering 25% (P8 billion) of total procurement value is not a sign of agility, but a 'red flag'. The PPRA’s warning is unequivocal and must be...