South Africa ·Law

Cybercrimes Act 19 of 2020

In force · 26 May 2021

Summary

The Act defines cybercrimes in South Africa, including unlawful access and interception, interference with data and systems, cyber fraud, forgery and extortion, and the sharing of harmful messages. It sets out investigation, search and seizure powers, international cooperation and a 24/7 point of contact. It requires electronic communications service providers and financial institutions to report detected cybercrimes to the police.

Original title

Cybercrimes Act 19 of 2020

Title in other languages

• Cybercrimes Act 19 del 2020 (legge sui reati informatici)
• Cybercrimes Act 19 de 2020 (loi sur la cybercriminalité)
• Cybercrimes Act 19 de 2020 (ley de ciberdelitos)

Jurisdiction

South Africa

Issuing body

Parliament of the Republic of South Africa

Official number

Act No. 19 of 2020

Type

Law

Date adopted

26 May 2021

Entry into force

1 December 2021

Status

In force

Available languages

English, Afrikaans

Topics

• Cybercrime and criminal law
• Diplomacy and international cooperation
• Incident management / CSIRT

Licence / terms of use

Unknown

Notes

Published in Government Gazette No. 44651 of 1 June 2021. Largely in force since 1 December 2021; some provisions enter into force later.

Collected from

manuale

Last verified

27 October 2026 (verified via web)

Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. (2021). Cybercrimes Act 19 of 2020 (Act No. 19 of 2020). https://www.gov.za/documents/acts/cybercrimes-act-19-2020-english-afrikaans-01-jun-2021

Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. "Cybercrimes Act 19 of 2020." 26 May 2021. https://www.gov.za/documents/acts/cybercrimes-act-19-2020-english-afrikaans-01-jun-2021.

@misc{za_cybercrimes_act_2020,
  author       = {{Parliament of the Republic of South Africa}},
  title        = {{Cybercrimes Act 19 of 2020}},
  year         = {2021},
  note         = {Act No. 19 of 2020},
  url          = {https://www.gov.za/documents/acts/cybercrimes-act-19-2020-english-afrikaans-01-jun-2021},
  urldate      = {2026-10-27}
}

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