South Africa's Data Breaches Cost 1.81% GDP in 2025/2026, Experts Say Most Cases Preventable

According to Cube ICT Solutions, South Africa experienced 3,219 data breaches in the 2025/2026 period, costing the economy R141.96 billion (1.81% of GDP), based on figures reported to the country's Information Regulator. The average cost per data breach stands at R44.1 million, per the IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025.

Cube ICT Solutions CEO Adriaan Venter stated that the vast majority of breaches stem from human error—unsecured databases, misdirected emails, or lost devices—making them largely preventable through employee cybersecurity awareness training. Resources spent on breach remediation represent economic losses rather than wealth creation, he noted.