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Sejosengwe told MPs that the latest security breach in the office in charge of the country’s highest courts took place in September, and law enforcement agencies were investigating.
“I can trust the committee that there was a security breach in our ICT environment that occurred towards the end of September. The matter is being investigated within the multidisciplinary team of state law enforcement agencies,” he said.
“I seek the committee’s leniency that we not discuss this matter further so as not to compromise the investigations of law enforcement agencies and also expose the system more to vulnerabilities and risks, given what has happened.”
Pressured by ACDP MP Steve Swart to shed more light on the matter, Sejosengwe promised to report back to the committee once the investigation is complete.
He said they were looking to “upgrade” their ICT infrastructure after the security breach.
Budget cuts
The Chief Justice’s office reported that it was facing severe budget cuts due to reduced public finances stemming from the economic effects of Covid-19.
According to the documents they presented to the justice committee, Mogoeng’s office faced “mandatory cuts” in its payroll amounting to 258 million rand in the upcoming financial year 2021/2022. There would be more R350m cuts by 2023.
Sejosengwe and his team told MPs that this would have affected the overall administration of the higher courts, including the higher court, the Supreme Court of Appeals and the ConCourt, as they could not fill critical vacancies.
Casper Coetzer, chief financial officer for the Chief Justice’s office, said the major budget cuts affect the ability of the judiciary to provide “sufficient translation and transcription services.”
TimesLIVE
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