South Africa is one of the African nations with the highest internet access rate. Despite this high connectivity, South African scholars such have argued that the rapid spread of mobile phones and interactivity caught up with the government before it had a chance to put a definite cyber strategy in place (Von Solms 2015; Jansen van Vuuren 2016). With more South Africans gaining access to the internet, the risks of citizens’ exposure to cyber threats are rising. The Institute of Risk Management South Africa has ranked cyberattacks amongst the ten highest risks threatening the country. The large number of South African citizens growing up without regular or sustained exposure to technological devices and broadband internet access makes them vulnerable to online exploitation. This may in turn lead to the country itself being more exposed to security breaches and potential international cyberattacks. Whilst taking cognisance of the country’s unique African context, the authors begin the paper by explaining how international strategies and frameworks could be applied to the country. Thereafter they argue for the importance of implementing a strong cyber awareness strategy in South Africa. They conclude with recommending adequate training in cybersecurity awareness for South African and African citizens, in order to protect themselves against current and future online threats.

van Vuuren and van Vuuren