<p>Cyberwarfare presents a growing national security concern due to the increasing number of cybersecurity incidents. The Symantec Internet Security Threat Report highlights the mounting complexity of cyber-attacks on South African businesses. In light of this, how can the establishment of a comprehensive national cyberwarfare framework effectively mitigate evolving threats, such as disruptions to critical infrastructure and compromises of sensitive government systems? Therefore, this study seeks to conduct a systematic literature review to define and better understand cyberwarfare, national and international laws on cyberwarfare, and identify concepts critical for a cyberwarfare framework for South Africa. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta- Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 statement guided the systematic literature review. 542 journal articles and conference papers published between 2018 and 2024 were retrieved and 28 were considered for this study. The findings suggest that there is no universally recognized definition of cyberwarfare, but the National Cybersecurity Policy Framework outlines’cyberwarfare’ as actions by a nation/state to infiltrate another nation’s information technology infrastructure to cause damage or disruption. The systematic literature review highlighted several key critical concepts that merit thoughtful consideration in the development of an extensive cyberwarfare framework. The concepts critical to a cyberwarfare framework include comprehensive reform and strategic investments to enhance resilience. In addition, a coordinated approach that leverages partnerships between government, industry, academia, and civil society while promoting cybersecurity awareness across all levels of society is essential.</p>