South African customer data exposed, and government goes to war over NHI

Here’s what is happening in and affecting South Africa today:

Cell C hack: Mobile operator Cell C has confirmed that a breach of its systems compromised the data of some customers, employees, and partners, including ID numbers, contact details, and banking information. The group disclosed the breach on 8 January and is working with experts to investigate the incident and protect customer data. [MyBroadband]

Dropout problems: A study from Stellenbosch University into South Africa’s dropout rates has reinforced that the country has a major problem with learners disappearing from the system. The study looked at newly available information on dropouts on a provincial level and found that most of the grade 8 learners who left the system before matric were unaccounted for and likely dropped out completely. [News24]

NHI war: Health minister Aaron Motsoaledi says that the South African government is fighting a war against those who are trying to stop the NHI from happening. He said there are already three legal challenges to the laws, signed ahead of the 2024 national elections—two from industry bodies representing business and healthcare professionals and another by union Solidarity. He said universal healthcare is the government’s number one priority under the G20. [BusinessLive]

New alcohol tax: A suggestion to add a charge or levy for the Road Accident Fund (RAF) to the price of alcohol has been met with immediate opposition, with industry groups saying the government needs to rethink its approach. Alcohol is a key factor in many road accidents, hence the belief that an additional tax would deter dangerous behaviour. However, opponents say the tax will further harm consumers and businesses without actually addressing the root problems. [BusinessTech]

Markets: South Africa’s rand was stable after Wednesday’s inflation data showed only a slight increase, and retail sales data for November jumped 7.7%. The rand eased over the past two days as markets started digesting the new Trump presidency, with many taking a wait-and-see approach. On Thursday, the rand was trading at R18.50/USD, R22.79/GBP and R19.25/EUR. Oil was trading lower, heading towards $78 a barrel.