By BAKANG MOKOTO
14 October 2025- The Democratic Alliance (DA) said criminals are using online networks to traffic guns and the South African Police Service (SAPS) is struggling to stop them. The DA said it proposes a Cyber Commissioner to fight cyber-enabled crime.
The DA spokesperson on Justice and Constitutional Development, advocate Glynnis Breytenbach, who is also a Member of Parliament (MP), said this institution would help dismantle criminal networks and protect communities. Breytenbach said recent reports show criminals are increasingly using online platforms and covert couriers to move illegal firearms into the Western Cape.
She further said this exposes a major weakness in South Africa’s policing. Breytenbach added that, despite identifying the proliferation of illegal guns and the need for secure cyberspace as top priorities in its Strategic Plan, SAPS has not yet fully intercepted the digital networks driving organised crime.
“The DA believes the solution lies in creating a dedicated Cyber Commissioner, an independent Chapter 9 institution, as proposed in our 20th Amendment to the Constitution. The Cyber Commissioner would provide the government and the private sector with the tools and expertise needed to tackle cyber-enabled crime.
“It would act as a central hub to monitor online threats, coordinate training, and set clear standards to protect sensitive information. Most importantly, it would give SAPS and other law-enforcement agencies the capacity to investigate and disrupt criminal networks that use the internet to move firearms, drugs, and other illicit goods,” she said.
Breytenbach said now that the Western Cape Police Commissioner, Thembisile Patekile, has admitted that the SAPS cannot contain this situation. She said they call on the Minister of Police, Prof Firoz Cachalia to step in and fully support this initiative and ensure it is implemented without delay.
“This new institution would work hand-in-hand with existing policing measures. Intelligence-led operations, cyber-forensics teams, real-time tracking of lost and stolen firearms, and partnerships with tech and cell phone companies to flag suspicious activity would support the Commissioner’s work.
“Together, these measures would allow law enforcement to not only make arrests but also secure convictions and dismantle criminal networks,” said Breytenbach.
She said by establishing a Cyber Commissioner, the DA is putting forward a practical solution to protect communities, secure cyberspace, and stop criminals from exploiting online networks to fuel violence. Breytenbach said modern organised crime demands modern institutions and this is a decisive step toward making our country safer.
The Guardian 