Karina Malapane
Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions: Specialised Crime Unit
I am a Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions with over two decades of experience in criminal justice, specializing in cybercrime, commercial crime, financial crime, and regulatory enforcement. My interest in information technology and cybercrime began in 2006 and has developed into a dedicated professional focus on cybercrime law, cybersecurity, digital evidence, and international cooperation. I hold a B.Proc degree from the University of Venda and completed postgraduate studies (LLM) in Information Technology Law at the University of South Africa, focusing on criminal law, evidence, and intellectual property. I further pursued cybersecurity studies through Newcastle University in the United Kingdom.
As Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, I oversee specialized commercial crime and tax units and have played an active role in developing prosecutorial capacity on South Africa’s Cybercrimes Act 19 of 2020. Since 2022/23, I have been part of the National Prosecuting Authority’s skills capacitation initiatives, facilitating training on cybercrime law and providing legal guidance on cybercrime matters through the NPA Knowledge Hub. I have authored legal opinions on the Cybercrimes Act, including matters relating to cybercrime search warrants, which were subsequently affirmed by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.
My international work includes representing South Africa and the National Prosecuting Authority at the United Nations Ad Hoc Committee negotiations on the Convention against the Criminal Use of Information and Communication Technologies from 2021 to 2025. I also represented the NPA at the Attorney General Alliance Africa Cybersecurity Conference in Ghana and served as a panelist on anti-money laundering: securing Africa’s financial systems. In 2025, I participated as a panel member at the Interpol Cybercrime Conference, focusing on prosecuting cybercrime, legal frameworks, challenges, and best practices.
I contributed to the implementation of South Africa’s Cybercrimes Act through participation in the consultative committee responsible for developing Standard Operating Procedures under Chapter 4 of the Act. I have also published and presented extensively on cybercrime investigations, cybersecurity, POPIA compliance, digital evidence, and emerging cyber threats. My work outside the NPA includes providing cybercrime and cybersecurity training to justice sector stakeholders of Botswana, Namibia, Kenya, and Zambia.
My professional mission is to strengthen cyber resilience, enhance cybercrime prosecution capabilities, and promote effective collaboration between law enforcement, prosecutors, regulators, and international partners in combating cyber-enabled crime.
I am a Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions with over two decades of experience in criminal justice, specializing in cybercrime, commercial crime, financial crime, and regulatory enforcement. My interest in information technology and cybercrime began in 2006 and has developed into a dedicated professional focus on cybercrime law, cybersecurity, digital evidence, and international cooperation. I hold a B.Proc degree from the University of Venda and completed postgraduate studies (LLM) in Information Technology Law at the University of South Africa, focusing on criminal law, evidence, and intellectual property. I further pursued cybersecurity studies through Newcastle University in the United Kingdom.
As Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, I oversee specialized commercial crime and tax units and have played an active role in developing prosecutorial capacity on South Africa’s Cybercrimes Act 19 of 2020. Since 2022/23, I have been part of the National Prosecuting Authority’s skills capacitation initiatives, facilitating training on cybercrime law and providing legal guidance on cybercrime matters through the NPA Knowledge Hub. I have authored legal opinions on the Cybercrimes Act, including matters relating to cybercrime search warrants, which were subsequently affirmed by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.
My international work includes representing South Africa and the National Prosecuting Authority at the United Nations Ad Hoc Committee negotiations on the Convention against the Criminal Use of Information and Communication Technologies from 2021 to 2025. I also represented the NPA at the Attorney General Alliance Africa Cybersecurity Conference in Ghana and served as a panelist on anti-money laundering: securing Africa’s financial systems. In 2025, I participated as a panel member at the Interpol Cybercrime Conference, focusing on prosecuting cybercrime, legal frameworks, challenges, and best practices.
I contributed to the implementation of South Africa’s Cybercrimes Act through participation in the consultative committee responsible for developing Standard Operating Procedures under Chapter 4 of the Act. I have also published and presented extensively on cybercrime investigations, cybersecurity, POPIA compliance, digital evidence, and emerging cyber threats. My work outside the NPA includes providing cybercrime and cybersecurity training to justice sector stakeholders of Botswana, Namibia, Kenya, and Zambia.
My professional mission is to strengthen cyber resilience, enhance cybercrime prosecution capabilities, and promote effective collaboration between law enforcement, prosecutors, regulators, and international partners in combating cyber-enabled crime.