WhatsApp Dominates South African Workplaces

A report by KnowBe4 Africa reveals that Meta Platforms — WhatsApp has become the dominant communication tool in South African workplaces, with 89% of employees using it for work, surpassing email. Anna Collard of KnowBe4 Africa warns that this shift poses significant cybersecurity risks, including data leakage, lack of audit trails for compliance, phishing, and identity theft, due to Meta Platforms — WhatsApp's design as a consumer tool without enterprise-level security controls. The report, which surveyed 800 respondents across 8 African countries, indicates a broader continental trend where 93% of African respondents use Meta Platforms — WhatsApp for work, while only 27% rely on enterprise platforms like Microsoft. Organizations are urged to implement clear policies and provide secure alternatives to mitigate these growing cyber risks.