Anita Chivizhe , Samwel Dick Mwapwele
Abstract
E-commerce enables businesses to reach a wider audience through virtual stores, thereby increasing sales and profits. In South Africa, increased access to the internet and smartphones not only facilitates online shopping but also increases cybercrime. Cybercriminals target e-commerce platforms to acquire sensitive customer data, causing financial losses and threatening operational sustainability. The research question is, what is the impact of cybercrime on the adoption of e-commerce in South Africa? The study follows the systematic literature review methodology with comprehensive searches performed for two months across four academic databases: EBSCOhost, Scopus, ProQuest, and Google Scholar. Only English peer-reviewed studies published in South Africa between 2020 -2024 relating to e-commerce and cybercrime were included. After extensive screening, 24 articles were selected and analysed thematically. The findings highlight e-commerce benefits like market expansion and job creation. However, cybercrime threatens its growth in South Africa by undermining consumer trust and engagement. Effective cybersecurity strategies, policy, governance, and education are essential to mitigate these risks, ensuring a secure digital environment for sustainable e-commerce development and economic growth. This research offers insights for policymakers on how ICT and e-commerce expansion drive economic growth and development by addressing SDG 9 and South Africa’s NDP 2030 Chapter 4.