“The recent cyber-attack on Transnet’s IT system is a further display of the failure of national state security intelligence to protect our key sectors, and one which stands to negatively impact the Western Cape economy. I have submitted a parliamentary question to the provincial Minister of Finance and Economic Opportunities, David Maynier, regarding the anticipated cost that this will inflict on the provincial economy,” says Deidré Baartman, MPP and DA Western Cape spokesperson Finance, Economic Development, and Tourism.
Whilst Transnet might consider this a force majeure, the broader situation speaks to negligence on the part of state security to the extent that a cyber-attack could disrupt shipping routes in South Africa. It has been almost a week since the attack and the IT system has yet to come online. More ships and international companies will avoid our shores if Transnet cannot give them the security and certainty needed.
Our national state security intelligence has, in just the last month, failed South Africans. Despite evidence to suggest an attempted insurgence, national government was unable to stop mass looting across KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng which has cost the country severely. In today’s climate where cyber security has become as important as physical security and with our ports moving billion Rands worth of goods every year, the lack of agility to act upon threats is deeply concerning.
We welcome the consistent engagement between the provincial Department of Economic Opportunities and Tourism (DEDAT) and Transnet, in the Western Cape Government’s efforts to support the national entity and our export market. The Western Cape is an export-orientated economy which saw R68.8 billion exported to our top ten markets in 2019 alone.
We also commend the work by officials at the Port of Cape Town who have manually processed more than 2 200 containers and four vessels since the IT system has been offline. However, while Transnet has made some improvement at the Port of Cape Town, it will all be in vain if the IT system remain vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
What we need is for our national government to prioritise securing its IT systems and state security measures to ensure that our economy and the livelihoods of our residents are protected. We hope that this is a final wake-up call that the national government and its intelligence apparatus will take to heart.
