Government is looking at ways to close the gap that exists in SA in terms of the people with the skills that can address and deal with issues of cyber threats.
This is the sentiment shared by deputy communications minister Pinky Kekana, during her speech at the CEO Forum for cyber security in Johannesburg yesterday.
"Cyber security skills are not in abundance across the world, let alone in South Africa. We therefore need a concerted and coordinated approach between the private sector, government and academia to close this skills gap."
According to Kekana, the administration intends to work closely with the Sector Education and Training Authority, the Media, Information and Communication Technologies, and Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority to build a strong cyber defence skills pipeline.
The deputy minister added that in the not too distant future, SA will have formal education qualifications ranging from diplomas for school-leavers at NQF 5, to graduate and post-graduate degrees.
"To professionalise this industry, a framework has been developed consisting of various job descriptions that will provide a spectrum of careers necessary to build a credible industry. These job descriptions will be accompanied by educational requirements that will ensure the candidate has the level of expertise necessary to fulfil the responsibilities assigned to the job," states Kekana.
Over the years, SA faced criticism for its lack of a co-ordinated approach to cyber security, and no legislation to deal with cyber crime.
To address this, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development introduced the Cyber Crimes and Cyber Security Bill, which would later become the Cyber Crimes Bill.
The Cyber Crimes Bill, which is in the process of being signed into law, seeks to create offences which have a bearing on cyber crime, criminalise the distribution of data messages which are harmful, and provide for interim protection orders, among other issues.
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