Written by J2 Software sales director Roy Alves

It does not matter how much a business has invested in securing its own network if an attacker can walk in through a supplier, service provider or SaaS application with legitimate access. Your weakest supplier could be your biggest cyber risk.

In today’s interconnected supply chains, the security of a business increasingly depends on organisations it does not control, may barely know, and may never have considered part of its cyber security perimeter.

This is not a theoretical problem for South African businesses. Third-party risk was identified as the leading concern by 60% of South African CISOs in the 2026 ITWeb Brainstorm CISO Survey, while PwC’s 2026 Digital Trust Insights research found that only 6% of South African organisations consider themselves very capable of managing supply chain vulnerabilities.

The uncomfortable part is that supply chain businesses can have hundreds or even thousands of suppliers, and every one of those relationships potentially introduces another point of exposure.

The risk becomes even harder to manage because suppliers have suppliers of their own. A manufacturer, distributor, retailer or logistics company may depend on technology providers, outsourced service companies, contractors and software platforms, all of which may have some level of access to its systems or information.

Somewhere in that chain there may be a smaller business with access to an email account, application, shared platform or corporate network that has security controls nowhere near those of the organisation ultimately carrying the risk. The bigger the ecosystem becomes, the harder it is to know exactly where the exposure sits.

Cloud and SaaS have made this trust chain even longer. A business may rely on Microsoft 365 for email, a cloud platform for financial systems, a SaaS application for customer management, another service for logistics and an external provider for IT support. These systems are often connected through APIs and integrations, creating relationships that are easy to establish but surprisingly difficult to understand.

The security of an application matters, but so does what it can access. An organisation can carefully assess the security of a SaaS provider while overlooking the permissions granted to the application itself, potentially giving a compromised service access to sensitive data, mailboxes, files or business systems.

There is another problem, and it is often hiding in plain sight. Business users can introduce cloud applications without waiting for IT, signing up for services within minutes and connecting them to corporate data. Marketing, finance, sales and operations teams may all have legitimate reasons for doing so, but the organisation can quickly lose visibility of which applications are connected to corporate identities and information.

This is often referred to as shadow SaaS. What begins as a useful productivity tool can quietly become another part of the attack surface, particularly when nobody knows who still has access to it or what happens when an employee leaves.

This is where traditional supplier due diligence starts to fall short.

A questionnaire completed once a year does not tell you whether a supplier has subsequently suffered a breach, changed its infrastructure, added another subcontractor, altered access permissions or introduced another cloud service into the environment. Nor does it necessarily tell you what happens when that supplier depends on another provider.

The real question is not simply whether a supplier is secure, but how far the trust relationship extends. Critical suppliers need to be identified, privileged access controlled, cloud and SaaS connections understood and third-party accounts monitored, while access should disappear when the business relationship ends.

Where a supplier is genuinely critical, organisations also need to understand how they would continue operating if that supplier suffered a cyber incident, ransomware attack or prolonged outage.

Addressing third party risk requires continuous visibility across endpoints, cloud environments, Microsoft 365, SaaS platforms and the wider digital estate. J2’s managed security services and Cyber Resilience Framework are designed to give organisations greater visibility and control across users, email, data, machines and internet facing assets, helping identify unusual activity, compromised accounts and suspicious access.

The objective is not simply to monitor what happens inside the organisation, but to identify the signs that something connected to it has become a security problem, giving IT and security teams an opportunity to respond before a supplier compromise becomes a business compromise.

The answer is not to stop using suppliers, cloud services or SaaS. That would be neither realistic nor commercially sensible. The answer is to understand where trust exists, what that trust allows someone to access and what the consequences would be if it were abused.

Every supplier, SaaS platform, integration and business partner effectively extends a company’s digital footprint. Cyber security is no longer just about defending the systems a company owns, it is about understanding the ecosystem on which the business depends. For supply chain companies, that ecosystem is now part of the attack surface, and ignoring it does not make the risk disappear.

South Africa’s Transport Month this October puts renewed focus on the role that transport plays in economic growth and social development. For businesses, that conversation extends beyond infrastructure and the movement of goods. It also includes the daily movement of the people who keep operations running.

Reliable passenger transport is essential to workforce mobility and business continuity. In industries that operate in shifts or around the clock, dependable transport can influence attendance, shift readiness and production continuity. Yet the movement of people is often overlooked as part of supply-chain resilience.

Unitrans passenger operations provides employee transport, commuter services and managed solutions across multiple sectors, moving people early in the morning, late at night and over long distances to mining, agricultural and other operational sites.

“Transport is not just about mobility. It is a lifeline to work, income and essential services,” says Bazil Govender, Divisional Head: Business Development at Unitrans passenger operations. “It connects people to livelihoods, education, healthcare and economic opportunity, while supporting the continuity of local businesses.”

Transport Month provides a timely opportunity to consider this wider role: how safe, reliable and well-managed mobility supports not only individual journeys, but the businesses, communities and local economies that depend on them.

Safety Beyond Compliance

Research published by the Road Traffic Management Corporation in March 2025 recorded 146 fatalities in major long-distance bus crashes during 2024, the highest annual figure in its 2018–2024 dataset. The findings reinforce the need for continued attention to passenger transport safety.

At Unitrans, safety extends beyond compliance.

“Policies and procedures are essential, but safety ultimately depends on people making responsible decisions every day,” Govender says. “That includes the driver behind the wheel, the team planning the route, the customer setting operational expectations and every person sharing the road.”

Safety must therefore inform each stage of how a journey is planned and delivered.

Drivers contribute through vigilance, professionalism and care. Operations teams consider routes, schedules, vehicle readiness and local conditions. Customers help uphold standards, while passengers, communities and other road users influence the broader road environment.

This shared responsibility requires consistent attention to behaviour, accountability and continuous improvement. Safety must be embedded in organisational culture rather than treated as a checklist addressed only during a campaign or event.

What Makes a Connected Community?

The Unitrans passenger operations team sees first-hand how safe, reliable mobility supports people, businesses and the supply chains that depend on them.

Behind every journey is a coordinated network of drivers, planners, fleet teams, operational processes and relationships with customers and communities. When one part of that network fails, the impact can extend beyond a delayed trip to affect employee attendance, production schedules, family responsibilities and access to essential services.

“In a South African context, a connected community is one where mobility is reliable, safe and inclusive, and becomes an enabler of economic resilience, business continuity and social progress,” says Nothando Sibiya, Business Development Manager at Unitrans passenger operations.

“It requires businesses to see transport as more than simply moving people from one place to another. Transport providers need to understand the communities and environments in which they operate, engage meaningfully with local stakeholders and respond to the realities of each route and region.”

Connected communities are therefore supported not only by infrastructure, but by strong relationships, accountable systems and collaboration among businesses, customers, passengers, communities, road users and public stakeholders.

The Human Impact of Transport

A practical example emerged through ongoing engagement between the regional management team at a Unitrans operation in Secunda and members of the surrounding community.

Through these conversations, the team became aware that transport challenges were affecting some children’s ability to attend school consistently. Working with community representatives, the team helped put a transport arrangement in place to improve access to education.

The response was rooted in a clearly identified local need and made use of existing transport capabilities to address a practical barrier.

By improving learners’ ability to reach school, the arrangement demonstrated how listening, collaboration and targeted action can make a meaningful difference to people’s everyday lives.

It also reflects Govender’s view that meaningful community contributions should be continuous rather than once-off, practical rather than symbolic, and shaped by local realities.

Moving People, Supporting Progress

Passenger transport cannot solve every economic or social challenge, and responsibility for building safer, more connected communities does not rest with transport providers alone.

It requires commitment from businesses, customers, employees, communities, road users and public stakeholders. Trust, communication and ongoing engagement are as important as the physical infrastructure connecting people.

When employees can reach their workplaces consistently and safely, businesses are better positioned to maintain operations and protect productivity. When communities have dependable access to employment, education, healthcare and essential services, people are better able to participate in economic and social opportunities.

The result is a stronger connection between people, operational continuity and supply-chain resilience – and a reminder during Transport Month that the value of transport is ultimately measured by what it enables.

“Purposeful transport is not simply about reaching a destination,” Govender concludes. “It is about enabling opportunity, strengthening relationships and helping to create the conditions in which people, communities and businesses can progress.”

Source note: Department of Transport, October Transport Month 2026.

Road Traffic Management Corporation, The Role of Seatbelts in Preventing Fatalities and Serious Injuries in Long Distance Bus Crashes in South Africa, March 2025. The study’s 2024 dataset was extracted on 2 December 2024 and covers records up to 1 December 2024

South Africa’s future is being built by skilled young hands, and technical excellence deserves the same celebration as academic success.

This was the message at the 2026 National Skills Final Competition Awards Ceremony in Johannesburg yesterday, where the country’s emerging technical talent took centre stage.

The Sasol Foundation, in partnership with Kagiso Trust, the Department of Basic Education, government and industry stakeholders, celebrated the achievements of the finalists at an evening attended by Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube, senior government and education representatives, industry leaders, educators and partners.

The national final brought together 151 learners and 77 teachers from all nine provinces who reached the 2026 national final, celebrating their achievements after more than 17,000 learners participated in qualifying rounds across the country.

Over the previous two days, Grade 10 and 11 learners and teachers competed in 11 practical, industry-relevant disciplines, putting their technical knowledge, precision, creativity, problem-solving ability and practical application of skills to the test.

“There should be no hierarchy of dignity between these pathways. A country needs doctors and engineers. But it also needs artisans, technicians, electricians, welders, fitters, machinists, mechanics, plumbers, builders and skilled operators. These skills are not second-tier careers. They are essential careers,” said Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube.

Category winners were awarded cash vouchers, tools of the trade and online courses and one lucky winner, Simthandile Mkwanazi in the Construction category was awarded a R250 000 apprenticeship from Resolution Circle. 

Building a Skills Pipeline From School

For South Africa, the importance of developing these skills extends well beyond a two-day competition.

As the world of work changes through technological innovation, digitalisation, industrialisation and the transition to a greener economy, so too does the range of skills young people need to participate meaningfully in it. The challenge is not simply to create opportunities, but to ensure that young people are equipped to take advantage of them.

Building that capability needs to start early.

The National Skills Competition provides a practical example of what this can look like: identifying technical talent at school level, giving young people opportunities to test themselves against real-world challenges, exposing them to industry and creating greater visibility around technical and vocational pathways.

South Africa needs to continue rebuilding its technical skills pipeline – not as a short-term programme, but as a sustained pathway that starts at school and connects education with further learning, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship and employment.

“The competition provides young people with an opportunity to demonstrate what happens when knowledge meets practice,” said Minister Gwarube. “A textbook can explain a principle. A classroom can teach a process. But a skilled person must ultimately be able to apply that knowledge accurately, safely and efficiently.”

The competition is designed to demonstrate that technical and vocational education is not a fallback option, but a pathway into meaningful and rewarding careers. The 11 categories – spanning automotive technology, CAD, construction, digital systems, electrical power systems, engineering graphics and design, electronics, fitting and machining, plumbing, woodworking, and welding and metalwork – reflect the breadth of technical capability required in a changing economy.

For the young competitors, the national final was an opportunity not only to compete, but to build confidence, experience and a clearer understanding of where their skills can take them.

Dr Mankodi Moitse, Chief Executive Officer of Kagiso Trust, said the competition demonstrated the value of creating opportunities for young people to discover their strengths and apply what they have learned.

“Technical and vocational pathways are not alternatives to success. They are important pathways into it,” she said.

“Technical excellence requires discipline, curiosity, the willingness to learn, to make mistakes, to try again and to keep improving. These are qualities that will serve young people well, wherever their careers take them.”

Dr Mankodi Moitse CEO of Kagiso Trust

She also highlighted the role of educators in creating these opportunities.

“Skills are transferred through people. The knowledge, patience and commitment of teachers, trainers and mentors help create opportunities for others.”

Thabile Makgala, Executive Vice President: People, SHE Risk and Corporate Affairs at Sasol added, “Tonight we celebrate more than technical ability. We celebrate the confidence that comes from mastering a skill, the courage to compete, and young South Africans showing that excellence is found in practical achievement as well as academic.

“The young people we have seen over the past two days could be tomorrow’s artisans, engineers and entrepreneurs. Our responsibility is to make sure the pathway is there for them when they leave school.”

Celebrating Achievement – And The People Behind It

The awards ceremony recognised the achievements of the teachers and learners who reached the national final, with winners announced across the competition’s categories.

The competition also recognised the contribution of educators, mentors, industry partners and sponsors who supported the finalists throughout the process.

“Behind every successful learner is an educator who invested time, energy and belief,” said Makgala. “Their contribution extends far beyond the classroom. They are helping to shape the next generation of skilled South Africans.”

Thabile Makgala Executive Vice President People Risk SHE and Corporate Affairs at Sasol and Sasol foundation Trustee

The 2026 competition was supported by a growing network of partners, including the Department of Basic Education, the Department of Higher Education and Training, Kagiso Trust, Resolution Circle, Matus, Modena, ATI, John Orr Engineering School of Specialisation and other industry and category sponsors.

The organisers also acknowledged the contribution of industry partners in providing venues, expertise, equipment, judging and opportunities for young people to engage with the world of work.

The National Skills Competition began in 2018 as a partnership between the Sasol Foundation and the Free State Department of Education. Kagiso Trust joined in 2022, introducing the teacher component, with the competition expanding to five provinces in 2023 and becoming fully national in 2024.

Today, the competition brings together learners, teachers, government, education institutions and industry around a shared objective: to raise the profile of technical skills and help build a stronger pipeline of young South Africans equipped for the future.

The initiative supports South Africa’s three-stream education model and the National Development Plan 2030 target of producing 30,000 artisans a year, while providing a platform through which young technical talent can progress towards further opportunities, including international skills competitions.

For the 2026 finalists, however, the achievement is more immediate.

They have demonstrated what is possible when talent meets opportunity – and shown that South Africa is not short of ambition, ability or potential.

The task now is to continue creating the pathways that allow that potential to become opportunity.

To view the full list of winners, click here.