The Communications Risk Information Centre (COMRiC) has marked a major milestone by launching its first-ever Sector Report, a groundbreaking publication that critically examines the escalating state of telecom crime, risk, and resilience across the nation.
South Africa’s burgeoning digital landscape, with over 44 million citizens now online, faces an unprecedented threat as its communications infrastructure becomes an increasingly prime target for sophisticated criminal enterprises. The Communications Risk Information Centre (COMRiC) has marked a major milestone by launching its first-ever Sector Report, a groundbreaking publication that critically examines the escalating state of telecom crime, risk, and resilience across the nation.
The 2025 Sector Report paints a stark picture: four out of five South African organizations fell victim to ransomware last year, a significant surge from just over 50% the year prior. This rise signals criminals’ growing exploitation of vulnerabilities across various digital platforms, from cloud services to emerging AI algorithms. Beyond cyberattacks, the report details widespread physical sabotage of telecom infrastructure, including fiber cable cuts and cellular tower vandalism driven by the illicit trade in copper and batteries. This blurring of lines between cybercrime and organized crime is driving up the cost of inaction daily.
The Blurring Lines of Digital and Physical Threats
The report specifically highlights the insidious danger of SIM box fraud, where international calls are illegally rerouted through local SIM cards. This circumvention of international termination fees results in substantial financial losses for operators and a noticeable degradation in network quality for consumers. Globally, and particularly in South Africa, this exploitation is becoming harder to detect and is increasingly used to facilitate broader scams, including identity fraud and call spoofing, adding further pressure to an already strained threat landscape.
COMRiC’s Call for a United Front and Mindset Shift
For Thokozani Mvelase, CEO of COMRiC, the message is unambiguous: the country’s communications sector can no longer afford to be merely reactive.
“We’ve allowed fraud to be treated as a telecom issue for far too long. It’s not. It’s a systemic risk that threatens financial stability, trust in communications, and our wider economic resilience. Fraudsters are innovating faster than we’re collaborating. That must change.”
–Thokozani Mvelase, CEO, COMRiC.
Mvelase emphasizes the urgent need for a fundamental shift in mindset. Cybersecurity, he argues, can no longer be relegated to a siloed IT function or a mere compliance checklist. Instead, it must be designed into the heart of communications systems – from how networks are built to how data is managed, to how AI is deployed. He cautions that South Africa’s embrace of artificial intelligence and consolidated digital platforms simultaneously introduces new attack vectors, ranging from deepfake audio scams to AI-generated phishing campaigns. Without strong ethical guardrails and shared accountability, these transformative technologies could inadvertently undermine the industry.
While cybersecurity spending in South Africa is projected to more than double by 2030, Mvelase warns it remains insufficient to match the scale of the threat. Moreover, many companies still lack the real-time detection and response capabilities needed for sophisticated attacks.
“What’s missing is not just budget, but coordination. We need a united front. Telcos, ISPs, broadcasters, regulators, banks – everyone in the communications chain must share intelligence, respond to threats together, and speak with one voice when it comes to protecting consumers.”
–Thokozani Mvelase, CEO, COMRiC.
Building a Resilient Future: A National Call to Action
At the core of COMRiC’s initiative is a national call to action: to establish a shared framework for cyber-resilience within the communications sector. This framework would involve setting common standards for AI oversight, intensifying efforts against SIM swap and ID fraud, and strategically investing in the development of local cybersecurity skills. However, COMRiC stresses that this monumental task also demands strong leadership from boardrooms, government, and the industry bodies responsible for shaping policy and practice.
South Africa possesses the innovative capacity, technical expertise, and moral imperative to lead the African continent in establishing safe, ethical, and resilient communications. But, as Mvelase concludes, this will only materialize if trust becomes a strategic priority not after the next breach, but now.
“We need to protect the systems that protect us. That starts with responsibility, with urgency, and with everyone stepping up.”
–Thokozani Mvelase, CEO, COMRiC.
