Free State MEC for Cooperative Governance, Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements, Mr. Saki Mokoena, has issued an urgent public warning after discovering that his personal cellphone number has been compromised by sophisticated scammers who are now impersonating him to defraud unsuspecting citizens. The breach, which Mokoena’s office described as a “deliberate and malicious cyber intrusion,” has raised fresh concerns about the vulnerability of high-ranking government officials to digital fraud and the potential misuse of public trust for criminal gain.
According to a statement released by the MEC’s office on Tuesday morning, the hacking came to light after several individuals contacted the department to verify suspicious messages and calls they had received from Mokoena’s number. In each instance, the scammers—claiming to be the MEC himself or a senior aide—requested urgent financial assistance, promised fraudulent government tenders in exchange for upfront “processing fees,” or solicited personal banking details under the guise of social relief disbursements. “These criminals are preying on the desperation of our people,” Mokoena said in a recorded audio statement. “Let me be clear: I will never ask any member of the public for money, nor will I offer tenders via text message or an unsolicited phone call.”
The MEC has since reported the incident to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Unit as well as the South African Police Service’s cybercrime division. His office confirmed that the compromised number has been temporarily deactivated while forensic investigators trace the origin of the breach. It remains unclear whether the hack targeted Mokoena specifically or was part of a broader phishing campaign against provincial officials. In the interim, the MEC has urged anyone who receives suspicious communications purporting to be from him or his office to verify directly through the department’s official landline numbers and to report any scams to the nearest police station.
Cyber-security experts have warned that high-profile individuals are increasingly vulnerable to “SIM-swapping” and social engineering attacks, and have called for mandatory multi-factor authentication for all government-related communication devices. For now, Mokoena’s warning serves as a stark reminder: in the digital age, even a minister’s phone number cannot be trusted.
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