DA ANC elections public wage unions

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Justice Department: Child maintenance payments to be delayed

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development was the victim of a cyber-attack, which affects child maintenance payouts

DA ANC elections public wage unions

Photo: File

If you’re a child maintenance recipient, you are likely to wait a little longer for payments as the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has announced that its systems used to administer the payouts are not accessible.

This is due to a ransomware attack on IT systems at the department.

“Child maintenance payments will be delayed due to departmental systems, including MojaPay, not being currently accessible. MojaPay is the system the department utilises to administer maintenance payments,” said spokesperson Steve Mahlangu.

Last week, the department announced it was the victim of a malicious cyber security hack. This affected all electronic services provided by the department including the issuing of letters of authority, bail services, email, and the departmental website.

When will child maintenance payments be made?

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development says it cannot yet give an exact date for when the system for child maintenance payments will be back online. However it stresses that it will ensure all child maintenance monies are kept secure for payment to the rightful beneficiaries when everything is back in order.

Mahlangu adds that the current IT system problems do not affect the receipt of child maintenance from the maintenance paying parent or employers who deduct these from the paying parent’s salary.

“The monthly child maintenance deductions will go ahead as scheduled. IT experts from the department, industry partners and selected organs of State are working together to urgently restore the systems affected by the ransomware attack, including MojaPay. The MojaPay system will be given the utmost priority to ensure that any inconvenience to maintenance beneficiaries is minimised,”

Department of Justice and Constitutional Development’s spokesperson Steve Mahlangu

Progress has been made since the cyber-attack – staff members at various levels have been migrated into the new email solution. The departmental website had also been restored, so as to be able to publish updates regarding services to the public.

“The Masters Offices are currently, as an interim measure, using a manual process to provide bereaved families, in exceptional cases, where there is a need to access funds from the deceased’s banking account for burial costs. No manual letters of executorship or authority will be issued in this crisis period,” he said.