The SA National Defence Force (SANDF) employs “robust cyber measures” as part of its warfighting arsenal according to Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga.
She gave this assurance to Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Member of Parliament (MP) Russel Cebekhulu in response to his asking what “specific steps” have been taken to integrate cyber capabilities as “a core component” of SANDF doctrine. He further wanted Motshekga to enlighten him on how the cyber defence capability is resourced and integrated with “traditional services” to ensure “a unified, multi-domain defence force”.
The Ministerial reply has it, in part, utilisation and employment of cyber capabilities are “inherent within the warfighting of the SANDF”. The capability is, according to Motshekga, addressed in the South African Military Strategy and Joint Force Employment Strategy where the importance of applying “robust cyber measures as encapsulated emphasised (sic)”.
The employment of the “robust cyber measures”, Cebekhulu was informed, is ascribed to increasing sophisticated and intrusive attacks of military command and control systems and “other systems operating within electromagnetic spectrum faced by militaries globally (sic)”.
In the current Department of Defence (DoD)/SANDF organisation the division tasked with defence intelligence oversees integration of essential and critical cyber security elements in SANDF services, divisions and force structure elements to ensure operations are not vulnerable to cyber threats.
As with most else in the national defence architecture, funding was pointed out by Motshekga as “a challenge”.
“Efforts to equip Cyber Command with advanced and cutting edge technology remain a primary consideration in order to have a global competitive and resilient cyber defence capability that will defend the South African cyberspace and carry out cyber warfare,” her written reply reads. She then notes “traditional services or force element structures” include communication management and information systems (CMIS), information warfare, electronic connection and signal capabilities embedded “as cyber capabilities for compactness and to prevent penetration and vulnerabilities”.
A veiled reference to national security – “further details can be shared in closed session” – ended the Motshekga reply effectively putting paid to Cebekhulu’s line of questioning.
That the cyber defence capability of the SANDF is pertinent to the wider security sector can be seen from an opinion piece carried by the Institute of Race Relations (IRR) digital publication. The Johannesburg headquartered think tank has been part of the South African political discourse for 94 years working for peace, goodwill and practical co-operation. It also initiates, supports, assists and encourage investigations to improve knowledge and understanding of South Africa’s racial groups and relations between individuals across and in these groups.
The piece has it, in part, “South Africa needs more than experienced signal regiments. It needs a centralised, properly resourced Cyber Command that can work alongside other formations while directing both defensive and offensive cyber operations across all domains”. Further the command, it notes, must be integrated into operational planning to co-ordinate cyber and electronic effects in real time.
“A patchwork of units, each with its own doctrine and equipment, cannot withstand a sustained and co-ordinated assault on military networks or national critical infrastructure.”
