More than 35 South African judges and magistrates have completed two intensive Commonwealth train‑the‑trainer workshops in Johannesburg as part of efforts to strengthen the judiciary’s ability to respond to the country’s rapidly escalating cybercrime crisis.
South Africa has become one of the continent’s hardest‑hit cybercrime hotspots, with attacks costing the economy an estimated ZAR 2.2 billion (about $133 million) annually.
A 2024 survey found that nearly half of South African organisations had suffered at least one cyber‑attack, underscoring the growing pressure on courts to handle complex digital‑evidence cases and fast‑evolving online offences.
The workshops, held from 1–5 December 2025 and 12–15 January 2026, in partnership with the South African Judicial Education Institute, were supported by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Using mock cases and group exercises, participants worked through the practical steps involved in admitting electronic evidence, issuing search warrants, applying legal safeguards, and ensuring proportionate rulings in cybercrime matters.
British High Commissioner Antony Phillipson said judges are “critical stakeholders in the cyber law‑enforcement pipeline.”
“The whole breadth of our law enforcement landscape needs to be equipped to deal with this issue,” he said.
Participants will now train colleagues across the country, forming the backbone of a wider judicial effort to curb cybercrime’s growing impact on South African society and the economy.
APA