Hackers have managed to infiltrate the system and encrypt data, making it inaccessible.

The DOJ has issued a press release saying that media reports alleging that the system is being ‘held hostage’ and R33 million ransom in Bitcoin is demanded to release it, is false.

A source within the DOJ says that they have no access to the system and cannot process information like bail and witness fees. Witnesses who have to testify in court are usually remunerated for travel expenses. It also has an effect on processes like the finalising of deceased estates.

The source said that they have resorted to using their personal Gmail accounts to communicate and manual capturing like the time before they had internet.

The department said that it is working tirelessly to restore services, focusing on services affecting the public directly, such as beneficiary payments and court proceedings, as first priority. The processing of maintenance payments have been completed by 16 September and over 30 000 payments have been made.

The department confirmed the source’s information, stating that manual processes have been put in place to ensure courts operate normally. The electronic recording of proceedings has recently been restored.

Cases affected by the electronic recording system being offline includes the fraud and money laundering case against Marlene Lewarne, Clive Lewarne and Annalie Smit, who appeared in the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday and had to be postponed until November.

Masters Offices have resorted to manual processes to provide bereaved families, in exceptional circumstances, access to the deceased’s funds for things such as funeral expenses.

Because of the huge fraud risk manual letters of executorship or authority cannot be issued, the department said. The Guardians Fund also remains inaccessible.

The DOJ said it has reported the breach to relevant law enforcement agencies on 10 September.

It also revealed that personal information might have been leaked and said it was in the process to determine what types of info and who the parties affected are.

• Monica Nyuswa, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority in Mpumalanga, said that they cannot send emails to prosecutors in lower courts, electronic files cannot be accessed to view updates of cases and trials had to be postponed because electronic recordings were not operational.