MEC for e-Government Bonginkosi Dhlamini discusses Gauteng's R1.7 billion cyber security investment to protect provincial systems and citizen data. Picture: Supplied
The Gauteng Provincial Government is taking substantial steps to bolster its cyber security framework, including R1.7 billion budget investment for fiscal year 2024/25.
The Department of e-Government, which is in charge of monitoring this effort, will implement comprehensive measures to protect citizen data and government networks in response to the growing threat of cybercrime.
"We recognise the importance of protecting sensitive information," said Bonginkosi Dhlamini, MEC for e-Government.
"As a department housing critical state resources, we must remain vigilant."
As attacks on governmental networks around the world rise, the provincial administration has prioritised cyber security measures. These threats, if not addressed, could jeopardise citizens' privacy and impair government operations.
One of the Department of e-Government's primary responsibilities is to develop and manage cyber security infrastructure across all provincial networks.
A chunk of the cash will go toward improving the Gauteng Security Operations Centre, which has previously played an important role in guarding against cyber attacks.
The provincial government stores massive amounts of sensitive data, such as resident records and financial transactions. The agency realises that any cyber security vulnerability can have far-reaching consequences. As a result, the e-Government team is working on strengthening its digital defences.
"Our infrastructure must be robust enough to withstand cyber threats," said Dhlamini.
“The recent cyber attack on important national departments demonstrates how susceptible government institutions may be. As a result, in order to secure our infrastructure, we must consider all options.”
This pledge is not new to the Gauteng administration. Over the years, the Department of e-Government has created a thorough Provincial cyber security strategy.
With the help of a strengthened budget, the department hopes to improve the resilience of provincial networks and systems even further.
These pre-emptive efforts come as cyber security threats have become more targeted at governments, endangering not only operations but also public trust.
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