Tag: Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA)

There is a perception among Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that data, while important, is not as critical as it is for a larger business. However, this could not be further from the truth. Data is literally the lifeblood of the modern organisation, no matter the size. Without it, productivity ceases, particularly in a world where work-from-home has become a requirement.

Data is every company's biggest asset and that is why data protection should be a top priority for every business owner. Data protection is becoming more complicated as old electronics become redundant and new devices are added to the network.

Agility is key when it comes to data analytics. A report that takes six months to deliver is of little value to the business, because any insights will be stale and irrelevant. The historical disconnect between IT and business remains a problem, and this is where DataOps comes in.

Several corporations have recently announced that they will implement mandatory vaccination at their workplaces, and possibly many more will follow. This important development will hopefully result in a few unanswered questions around mandatory vaccination finally being tested (and answered) before our courts (including, among other things, disciplining employees in this context). 

Under Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), service providers will have to obtain a SOC 2 report to demonstrate to their clients that they are enforcing proper security and data privacy practices. Over 80% of private, SMME and large companies plan to revise their operations in the next few years.

Every year, organisations produce, manage and store billions of documents, yet little time is spent on finding ways to streamline workflow and eliminate the day-to-day inefficiencies that are slowing businesses down and costing them money.

The introduction of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) has put the spotlight on data security for many organisations, which has prompted many Chief Information Officers (CIO) and Chief Information Security Officers (CISO) to invest in data encryption.

Data is a key asset to any business – that’s why it’s crucial that it’s protected. Data can help businesses understand vital information, such as customer buying behaviour or enable digital payments. However, in the wrong hands, it can be abused. Consider the risk that cyberattacks and data breaches pose to businesses.

The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) will protect South Africans’ constitutional right to privacy. This includes a requirement for lawful justification to exist before a data subject’s personal information (PI) may be processed.

Keep up to date on the most important Financial Services Regulation developments in South Africa in June 2021.