2016Milestone
Organisation History
Birth of Cybersecurity Advocacy
Founder, Thabang Phala creates news on advocacy for inclusion of youth and small businesses within Cybersecurity discussions
Midrand
2016
Where it all started
CyberM8 was established in 2017 as a flagship program under BizM8 Communications (now BizM8) and Abuti Rams Consultancy (now LuminaLeap Technologies). Its primary goal was to spark youth interest in the field of cybersecurity—a vision inspired by the passion of founder Thabang Ramoroka (now Thabang Phala), who was widely known as Abuti Rams.
The programme ran successfully until 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a pause. It was subsequently revived in 2021 under Agape Youth Movement as part of the Child Online Safety Programme (now Tshireletso Child Online Safety Initiative). In 2024, CyberM8 was formally registered as a Non-Profit Company (NPC), solidifying its mission to empower communities through cybersecurity awareness and education.
Explore the milestones that shaped our organisation.
Organisation History
Founder, Thabang Phala creates news on advocacy for inclusion of youth and small businesses within Cybersecurity discussions
Bills & Partnerships
Cybersecurity and Crimes Bill advocacy drive for inclusion of youth and small businesses’ inputs
Cybersecurity Campaign is officially launched in October
ICT Skills Bootcamps (now Next-Gen Skills Bootcamps) are launched in November in collaboration with Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS), now Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT), NEMISA, Standard Bank, CSIR, .ZADNA, and Geekulcha
Child Online Safety
Programme is placed under Agape Youth Movement’s Child Online Safety Programme with the Department of Basic Education (DBE)
Programme Launches
CyberM8 Initiative is registered as a Non-Profit Company (NPC) and Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) with Companies And Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) and South African Revenue Service (SARS)
Programmes Launched and Implemented:
HackSecure Innovation Challenge (Cybersecurity Hackathon)
GoDigital Week
GoDigital Dialogue
MSMEs GoDigital
GoDigital National Dialogue
4iR Career Expo (former GoDigital Career Expo)
Established partnerships with:
Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICT SETA)
Department of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD)
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
The Innovation Hub
Geekulcha
Collaborations and Impact
9x Strategic Partners Established
DCDT
SAPS: DPCI
Absa
SABRIC
City of Tshwane
IITPSA
NEMISA
UNISA: College of Law
GIZ
300+ Trainees
In 2025 alone, CyberM8 in partnership supported by the Department of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD), National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (NEMISA), and German Cooperation (GIZ) facilitated 4 NextGen Skills Bootcamps training over 300 youth workers and civil society orgnisation leaders on introductory cybersecurity and 4iR.
10+ Million Reach
Our cybersecurity awareness campaigns reached over 10 million people across various traditional media and social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
7x ICT Conferences
CyberM8 actively participated in and hosted 7 national ICT and youth events including the flagship Second Annual Cybersecurity Indaba, which convened policymakers, academia, industry leaders, and young professionals to shape the future of cybersecurity in South Africa.
800+ Community Members
The CyberM8 Hub through our WhatsApp Channel has reached over 800 members sharing cybersecurity opportunities, events, and insights across Africa.
Mass Awareness Through Traditional Media
Between 2024 and 2025, our traditional media drive—spanning over 10 radio and TV shows—amplified our mass public awareness campaign, reaching millions of South Africans through national and community radio stations as well as commercial television platforms.