At the 2024 Public Cybersecurity event in Midrand Convention Centre, South Africa, hosted by IT News Africa, it was emphasized that forming collaborations via a professional body is vital to combat cybercrime.

IT News Africa spoke to four main Tech Service Providers that were participants at the forum. These include ATS Network Management, GC2T, BeyondTrust, CompTIA.

ATS Network Management CEO Glenn Lazarus was pleased with the event and supported the suggestion for a professional body in Public Cybersecurity. “It’s been exciting to see a mix of Tech and IT experts in one room. To also see relevant representatives from the Government Departments. The collaborations need to happen in a form of an EXCO that will unpack the challenges that have been discussed in the forum and come up with possible solutions. We as ATS will gladly be part of this EXCO or what we will like it to be a “Think Forum” and bring in our experience of over 20 years.” He said.

Chief Commercial Officer for GC2T, Cobus Valentine is for the collaborations too. “We believe that collaborations will do a lot for the industry. However, it must be something that happens practically not just on paper. The question is who will start this collaboration for all players in the industry. I think that the government should be kick- starting this process and include the private sector. The people need these collaborations to happen so that they can be empowered too.” He said.

Senior Executive for CompTIA, Grace Sikhosana said they are in support of the possible collaborations. “As CompTIA we believe that the collaborations are important to foster as they will benefit all parties. The collaborations will impact the country in a positive way. We will unlock the much-needed skills. We as CompTIA will offer our courses and certificate including the one currently in high demand, the PENTES A SECURITY.” She said.

As a Senior Engineer at BeyondTrust, Brendon Meyer actively supported all proposed motions for collaboration during the forum. “Overall, we at BeyondTrust are quite satisfied with the attendance that the 2024 Public Cybersecurity summit has managed to attract. From both private to public sectors. We also appreciate the fact that the public sector has acknowledged their shortfalls and is prepared to plan for the future. The collaborations should include all stakeholders. Processes within these collaborations should be inclusive and transparent. We have been in the business of Adoption for many years, it is a journey for us. We believe that we can be trusted advisors on Adoption and contribute meaningfully to that regard.” He said