Cyber attack disrupts South African container terminals
JOHANNESBURG - A cyber attack disrupted operations at South Africa's busiest container terminals, the biggest on the continent, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Thursday.
Transnet, which operates major South African ports,
including Durban and Cape Town, and a huge railway network that transports
minerals and other commodities for export, confirmed its IT applications were
experiencing disruptions and it was identifying the cause.
It declined to comment on whether a cyber attack caused the
disruption. Two of the sources, who asked not to be named because they are not
authorised to speak to the press, said an attack occurred early on Thursday.
Cape Town Harbour Carriers Association said in an email to
members, seen by Reuters: "Please note that the port operating systems
have been cyber-attacked and there will be no movement of cargo until the
system is restored."
Transnet's official website was down on Thursday showing an
error message.
The state-owned company already suffered major disruptions
to its ports and national freight rail line last week following days of unrest
and violence in parts of the country.
The latest disruption has delayed containers and auto parts,
but commodities were mostly be unaffected as they were in a different part of
the port, a source with direct knowledge said.
It will also create backlogs that could take time to clear.
Transnet said its container terminals were disrupted while
its freight rail, pipeline, engineering and property divisions reported normal
activity.
Most of the copper and cobalt mined in the Democratic
Republic of Congo and Zambia, where miners such as Glencore and Barrick Gold
operate, use Durban to ship cargo out of Africa.
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