E-SECU~1.QXD

This report chapter examines South Africa's approach to electronic crime and the development of 'e-law' to regulate e-commerce and e-communication. It argues that legislation alone is insufficient to combat e-crime, advocating instead for a multi-pillared approach that combines law, law enforcement capacity, and consumer education.

• In early 2001, the South African Minister of Communications announced the fast-tracking of 'e-law' to address urgent issues including e-commerce, e-communication, and e-crime. The proposed legislation covers a wide range of areas, such as the legal status of data messages, consumer protection, the protection of personal information and critical databases, and the establishment of a .za Domain Name Authority.
• The document argues against the 'myth' that a single law can effectively address all challenges of e-commerce and e-crime. It proposes a 'multiple pillars' strategy where legislation is supported by the actual capacity and resources of law enforcement to investigate and prosecute criminals, as well as awareness and education programs to help users and consumers reduce their own risks.
• The report notes that while technical solutions and self-defence are often the primary lines of defence against e-crime, their efficacy in South Africa may be limited due to the 'real digital divide', low literacy levels, and a lack of scientific and technological understanding.
• The text highlights internal organizational threats, citing international surveys suggesting that employees are more likely to pose a security threat to a company than external actors. It warns that increasing the use of surveillance technologies to combat these threats risks infringing upon the privacy and rights of innocent employees.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (n.d.). E-SECU~1.QXD. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/MISSIONCHAP6.PDF

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. E-SECU~1.QXD. n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/MISSIONCHAP6.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=E-SECU~1.QXD |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/MISSIONCHAP6.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudiesndesecu1qxd, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{E-SECU\textasciitilde{}1.QXD}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/MISSIONCHAP6.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }