146  No. 50741 GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 31 May 2024 and many other sectors. The danger in this dependency is that failure or endangerment of systems supporting the digital environment may lead to significant disruptions in services and the lives of people. Less technologically savvy citizens need encouragement to leverage available digital technologies to improve their quality of life, facilitating transactions and access to government and commercial services without the inconvenience of long-distance travel and financial strain. The government has the responsibility to create an environment that fosters confidence in using digital technologies and platforms for daily needs. To encourage the use of digital technologies, applications, and online platforms, the government needs to drive the creation of a secure cyber and online environment. This effort will strengthen and expand technology adoption and the use of digital solutions and platforms to address citizen needs. Citizens should also be empowered to report data breaches and online bullying, confident that their complaints will be addressed. Many downloadable applications and credit providers require citizens to grant access to their mobile data, including contacts, location, and credit information, often without a commitment to ensure that such data is not shared or sold to other parties. Data protection authorities need to monitor these practices to prevent the abuse of citizen data for financial gain without benefits accruing to the citizen. Although South Africa has legislation (Cybercrimes Act, POPIA) and policies (NCPF) addressing cybercrimes and online-related crimes, challenges exist in preventing, investigating, and prosecuting these crimes due to a lack of human capacity and financial resources. Law enforcement authorities need properly trained personnel to investigate and prosecute cybercrimes. Information regulators need to be capacitated to receive, investigate, and act on reported cases of data breaches and abuses promptly. Some policies and frameworks, like MISS and NCPF, are outdated and may not be relevant to the current technology-based and data-driven environment. Consideration should be given to reviewing these policies to ensure their relevance in a digitally transformed government and society. Cybercrime is a borderless crime, easily executed from any location. Treaties and conventions have been developed to enable cooperation among countries in preventing, 24 This gazette is also available free online at www.gpwonline.co.za