BY SIFISO NHLABATSI
EZULWINI — Minister of Information, Communications and Technology Senator Savannah Maziya has been hailed for elevating cybersecurity as a national priority as cyber-related losses in the country have exceeded E15.9 million in one year.
The figure was revealed on Thursday during the launch of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2026 at Happy Valley Hotel in Ezulwini, where government sounded the alarm over the growing cost and sophistication of cybercrime.
Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM), Ozzie Thakatha, said the losses were linked to various forms of cyber-enabled crime, including mobile money fraud, phishing, identity theft, online scams, fraudulent banking transactions and system intrusions.
Thakatha said the impact of cybercrime went beyond financial losses, with other threats including cyberbullying, harassment, online child exploitation, misinformation and grooming.
He said the situation required a coordinated response from government, law enforcement, the private sector, regulators, educators and ordinary citizens.
“I begin by acknowledging our Honourable Minister of ICT, Senator Savannah Maziya, for her steadfast leadership in elevating cybersecurity as a national priority,” said Thakatha.
He said under Maziya’s stewardship, digital resilience had received the policy attention necessary to protect citizens, institutions and the economy.
The Acting CEO said cybersecurity was no longer a distant threat, but a reality affecting emaSwati and institutions across the country.
“Cybercrime is no longer a distant risk but it is here, and it is costly,” he said.
Thakatha said ESCCOM had, since the enactment of the Computer Crime and Cybercrime Act of 2022, coordinated national efforts aimed at strengthening the country’s cyber resilience.
Among the initiatives were nationwide cybersecurity awareness campaigns, capacity building for law enforcement officers, prosecutors, investigators and the judiciary, as well as training for government, businesses, youth and other stakeholders.
He said ESCCOM was also advancing the Eswatini National Cybersecurity Strategy 2022–2027, promoting incident reporting and cyber hygiene, and strengthening regional and international partnerships.
Thakatha said the agency had further published Child Online Safety Guidelines targeting parents, teachers, librarians and school leaders.
He said the measures represented significant milestones, but warned that the cyber threat landscape continued to evolve.
“Awareness must be sustained, capacity continually enhanced, partnerships deepened, and innovation embraced,” he said.
Meanwhile, Maziya said the country was living in an era of unprecedented connectivity, with emaSwati increasingly using digital platforms for work, banking, education and communication.
She said the convenience brought by digital technology also came with vulnerabilities.
“Cyber threats, scams, identity theft, and data breaches are no longer just storylines in movies; they are real world threats that impact our businesses, our government, and our everyday citizens,” said Maziya.
She said the theme, “Tivikele, Stay Safe Online”, was a national call to action for citizens to take personal responsibility for their digital safety.
Maziya urged emaSwati to protect their passwords, verify links before clicking on them and guard their personal information.
She also warned members of the public against responding to suspicious messages, opening unknown attachments or sharing personal information without verification.
The Minister said fraudsters were becoming increasingly sophisticated and continuously changing the methods used to target unsuspecting victims.
She specifically urged the public to remain alert to scams circulating through social media, messaging platforms and mobile phones, including schemes commonly referred to as “BOFACATA”.
Maziya also announced that the Ministry of ICT had officially commenced the process of reviewing the National Cybersecurity Strategy.
She said the review was necessary because the cyber landscape evolved rapidly and national policies needed to keep pace with emerging threats.
However, Maziya stressed that government could not secure the country’s cyberspace alone.
“Cybersecurity is not only the responsibility of Government, the police, telecommunications companies, banks or technology professionals. It is a responsibility that begins with each one of us,” she said.
During October, the Ministry and ESCCOM will conduct cybersecurity activities targeting school learners and students, teachers, civil servants, youth and young professionals, SACCOs, SMMEs, parents and caregivers, rural communities, online consumers and the general public.
The programme will include school competitions and outreach programmes, university activations, roadshows, radio and television programmes, cybersecurity training, drills, online safety surveys and child online safety awareness initiatives.
Maziya said school visits would be particularly important in equipping children with knowledge to guard against cyberbullying, online predators and digital scams.
She said Eswatini’s digital transformation presented opportunities for economic growth, innovation, job creation and improved public service delivery.
“Let us build a culture of cyber resilience,” Maziya said.
The Minister officially declared National Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2026 launched, urging emaSwati to stay safe online.
#CybersecurityAwarenessMonth #Tivikele #StaySafeOnline #Cybersecurity #DigitalSafety #Eswatini #ICT #Cybercrime
(Courtesy Pic)
