Major threat to South African economy

South Africa’s tech skills shortage could have catastrophic effects on the country’s economy, particularly in cybersecurity. 

This is according to Trisha Govender, Manager at Mancosa’s School of Information and Digital Technology, who spoke to Business Day TV.

She explained that cyberattacks have had devastating impacts on the country’s economy over the last few years. 

For example, over the past decade, R300 million has been stolen from the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure without being detected, and an additional R24 million was stolen in May. 

“So this obviously can have crippling effects on our economy. That was money that could have been used for our citizens and to upgrade our infrastructure, but that’s money that’s now missing.”

Although this crisis is a worldwide phenomenon, developed countries like the US and Germany have been aggressively investing in training infrastructure.

South Africa is “definitely behind as a developing country”, she said. “So it does put us in a more vulnerable position with our economy.”

She explained that the tech skills crisis needs to be addressed in two key areas. 

Firstly, it’s not just about training cybersecurity professionals; everyone using the internet needs basic cybersecurity knowledge to protect themselves. 

With more people, including children, using the internet compared to a few decades ago, it’s essential to start this education at a young age.

Second, at the higher education level, students studying cybersecurity need to keep up with the latest trends and developments in cyber threats.

“We’re not just short in numbers. We’re also short in terms of the depth of skills required by our professionals,” Govender explained. 

“This will ensure that the professionals that we are adding to the market are not just qualified on paper but have the relevant skills to handle sophisticated attacks in industry.”

However, there are a number of challenges that make it difficult to resolve the current tech skills crisis. For example, one major challenge is the rapid rate at which technology evolves.

As innovation and technology, including AI, continue to advance rapidly, it’s inevitable that the pace of tech development will often outstrip the skills needed to keep up. 

However, Govender said that while we can’t always predict or learn new technologies before they emerge, tech advancements like AI can be leveraged to strengthen areas like cybersecurity. 

For instance, AI could improve threat detection, and if it had been used earlier, it might have identified the Department of Public Works’ security breaches long before they caused significant damage. 

Rather than trying to master every new technology, the focus should be on using available tools to enhance cybersecurity, incident response, and data governance.

Another challenge which is adding to the skills gap in South Africa is the fact that so many skilled professionals are leaving the country in search of better opportunities abroad.

“A brain drain is definitely one of the things that leads to a lack of skills in the sector,” she said. 

On top of this, Govender explained that there’s also a growing gap between the supply and demand for cybersecurity professionals.

The country’s rapid digitalisation increases the demand for tech expertise, but the workforce isn’t growing quickly enough to meet it.

To solve the tech skills gap and drive tech skills development in South Africa, she said that collaboration between government, higher education institutions, and the private sector is needed. 

She explained that the government, industries, and universities must work together to upgrade the skills of current professionals while also preparing graduates and young professionals entering the cybersecurity field. 

This coordinated effort would ensure that both the existing workforce and new entrants are equipped with the skills needed to meet the increasing demands of the industry.