The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has announced a major step in the fight against cybercrime with the development of a secure, web-based cybercrime reporting tool designed for financial and electronic communications service providers.
According to its 2024/2025 annual report, the system will enable institutions such as banks, telecom operators, and other service providers to report cybercrimes directly to the South African Police Service (SAPS) through a designated point of contact.
The initiative aligns with the Cybercrimes Act, which requires these providers to report cyber incidents to law enforcement. Until now, there had been no centralized or secure mechanism for doing so.
Tool Ready for Live Deployment
The CSIR said the platform, developed over the past two years, is ready for live deployment pending final testing, security audits, and penetration assessments. Once launched, it will be rolled out nationally for use by all licensed financial and electronic communications providers.
“As the use of digital systems for communication and online transactions becomes increasingly widespread, so do the risks to the safety and security of users’ personal information,” the CSIR stated in its report.
The new platform is designed to streamline cybercrime reporting, improve coordination between the private sector and SAPS, and enhance investigation and response efforts to digital threats.
Soaring Cybercrime Losses
The announcement comes amid a sharp rise in digital fraud and cyberattacks across South Africa’s financial and telecom sectors.
According to the South African Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric), the number of digital fraud incidents reported by the banking sector nearly doubled in 2024 compared to the previous year. The gross losses from 97,975 digital fraud cases amounted to R1.9 billion, with more than half of all digital banking fraud incidents from the past three years occurring in 2024 alone.
The Communication Risk Information Centre (Comric) estimates that telecommunications-related fraud now costs the South African economy R5.3 billion annually, with SIM-swap attacks accounting for roughly 60% of all mobile banking breaches.
CSIR–Sisal Partnership to Build Digital Skills
The CSIR has also partnered with Italian gambling and technology firm Sisal to tackle South Africa’s cybersecurity skills shortage. The partnership established a technology hub at the CSIR focused on recruiting, training, and mentoring local graduates in areas such as software engineering, data science, and cybersecurity.
Interns from various universities, holding national diplomas, BSc, and honours degrees, are receiving hands-on training through the CSIR Information and Cybersecurity Centre, with several already absorbed into the agency.
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Strong Year for the CSIR
Beyond cybersecurity, the CSIR reported solid overall performance, achieving 29 out of 31 key performance indicators for the 2024/2025 financial year.
Highlights include:
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11% increase in localised technologies
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17% rise in joint technology development agreements with industry
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31% growth in the number of chief researchers
The CSIR also reported a net profit of R40.6 million, supported by strong investment and grant funding. The organization exceeded its R160 million infrastructure investment target, reaching R427.04 million, with 64% allocated to enhancing its high-performance computing system within South Africa’s national cyberinfrastructure framework.
The developments underscore the CSIR’s growing role in digital resilience, technology innovation, and national cybersecurity readiness.
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