South African Police Embrace Tech Upgrades But Bodycams Still Delayed
South Africa’s acting Minister of Police, Firoz Cachalia, says the South African Police Service (SAPS) is increasingly turning to technology to boost visibility and efficiency in its operations.
“The SAPS is actively enhancing policing efforts by leveraging existing technology infrastructure and software investments of government and private entities,” Cachalia said.
Plans are underway to train 100 police officials as drone operators in the 2025/26 financial year. According to Cachalia, the project will run for three years, with funding allocations made annually.
However, progress on officer body-worn cameras remains slow. “The procurement of body-worn cameras has not yet been finalised as the process remains in the contracting phase. The bid for these devices is still to be advertised,” he explained. Once a service provider is appointed, SAPS will develop a comprehensive rollout plan for all provinces.
Hawks Tackle Organised Crime and Cybercrime with New Tools
Cachalia also responded to parliamentary questions from IFP MP Inkosi Russel Nsikayezwe Cebekhulu, which focused on the growing challenges of organised crime and cybercrime in South Africa.
According to Cachalia, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks, has adopted advanced forensic platforms to extract and analyse digital evidence. “These tools are essential in uncovering digital evidence during cybercrime and corruption investigations,” he said.
SAPS is also working with AFRIPOL’s Cybercrime Desk to strengthen cross-border coordination under the Africa Joint Operation Framework. Training initiatives now include courses on cryptocurrency investigation, digital forensics, cybersecurity, and cybercrime investigation. Officers also attend symposiums and conferences to exchange strategies with global counterparts.
Cybercrime Surge Costs South Africa Billions
The urgency of these initiatives comes amid a sharp rise in cybercrime across the country. According to the Communication Risk Centre’s (Comric’s) Telecommunications Sector Report for 2025, government infrastructure faces an average of 3,312 cyberattacks per week.
Cybercrime costs South Africa an estimated R2.2 billion annually, with ransomware attacks being the most prevalent. The report revealed that 78% of businesses suffered at least one cyberattack in 2023, while phishing scams cost the economy around R200 million. Synthetic identity fraud, in particular, surged by 153%.
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Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has also raised concerns over the rise in ransomware incidents.
Comric further noted that 66% of businesses now rank cyber risks as their top priority, well above environmental and macroeconomic risks. As a result, the domestic cybersecurity market is projected to reach R73 billion by 2030.
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