Are hackers holding our local government to ransom?

South African municipalities are sitting on goldmines of your personal data — ID numbers, addresses, billing details — and they are catastrophically unprepared to protect it. No skills, ancient tech, and bureaucratic red tape have left our local governments wide open to ransomware gangs and phishing attacks. And the thieves? They’re already inside the house. Daily Maverick’s Lindsey Schutters explains.

Reporting by: Lindsey Schutters 
Filmed by: Joel Seboa 
Edited by: Anda Tolibadi 
Produced by: Emilie Gambade 
Creative lead by: Malibongwe Tyilo 
Sub-edited by: Kevin Flynn 

Support journalism that protects democracy. 
Become a Maverick Insider. https://tinyurl.com/SupportDailyMaverick 

Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DailyMaverickSA/videos
Follow us on X : https://x.com/dailymaverick
Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dailymaverick
Check our website: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/
Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/dailymaverick/
Check out our TikTok page: https://www.tiktok.com/@dailymavericksa
Download Daily Maverick Mobile App: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/daily-maverick-app/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.