POPI and Data Protection

The protection of personal information, and privacy and data protection laws (including the GDPR and the POPI Act or POPIA) are key laws in today’s information society. Information compliance or information rights are central to so many disputes. Read our insights, regulatory updates, judgment summaries, enforcement action (including fines and notes), data breaches or authority guidance.

Lodge a PAIA or POPIA complaint with the Regulator

Do you want to lodge a PAIA complaint or POPIA complaint with the Information Regulator in South Africa? Has someone failed to give you access to information or infringed on your privacy? In this article, we'll help you know how [...]

Liquid Telecom enforcement action | Recording meeting without consent

The Liquid Telecom enforcement action regarding recording meeting without consent arises from a decision where Kenya’s data protection regulator fined Liquid Telecommunications Kenya 700,000 Kenyan Shillings for unlawfully recording and retaining a former executive's Zoom meeting without consent. The ruling […]

Rules or Regulations on the processing of Health Information under POPIA 2026

The information regulator prescribed rules or regulations on the processing of health information under POPIA on 6 March 2026. The Health Information Regulations apply to specific responsible parties (not everyone) who process personal information concerning a data subject’s health for […]

Guidance Note on Conducting a Personal Information Impact Assessment

The Information Regulator plans to draft a Guidance Note on Conducting a Personal Information Impact Assessment (PIIA). The regulator plans to develop this in their next financial year ending 31 March 2027. We assume that the guidance note will be [...]

FT Rams Consulting enforcement action | Email direct marketing

The Information Regulator is taking enforcement action against FT Rams Consulting for non-compliance with section 69 of POPIA - the section that deals with direct marketing. This FT Ram Consulting fine of R200k follows a complaint from a data subject […]

Blouberg Municipality enforcement action | Further processing of financial disclosures

The regulator has fined Blouberg Municipality R500 000 after a complaint from a former employee. This Blouberg Municipality enforcement action arose because the municipality unlawfully published the employee’s personal information on its website in a declaration of interest. As a […]

Information Regulator in South Africa

The Information Regulator was created by the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI Act). POPI gives the Information Regulator teeth - it has extensive powers to investigate and fine responsible parties. Data subjects can complain to the Information Regulator, [...]

Guidance note on Transborder Flows of Information under POPIA

The regulator will publish a Guidance Note on Transborder Flows of Information to and from South Africa under POPIA. They will not wait for the finalisation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement. They have been consulting with other authorities, [...]

Zulu Nyala Game Ranch v Christiaan Beukes | Using confidential customer database

In Zulu Nyala Game Ranch v Christiaan Beukes, the High Court interdicted and ordered a former employee (Beukes) who used their employer's (Zulu Nyala Game Ranch) confidential customer database to start a competing business to stop using and delete it. […]

JSE enforcement action | Access to share trading information

The Information Regulator has issued a PAIA enforcement notice against the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) after it refused to grant access to share trading records. This JSE enforcement action requires the JSE to notify affected third parties and reconsider whether […]

The law in 2026 – our predictions

Welcome to the law in 2026! At the beginning of each year, we look ahead to help you prioritise your next steps. This is the law regarding digital, data and tech in 2026. We try to predict what will happen [...]

Minister of Basic Education v Information Regulator | Appealing an enforcement notice

In Minister of Basic Education v Information Regulator, the High Court set aside the regulator’s enforcement notice issued to the DBE. The notice tried to stop the Department from publishing the matric results using examination numbers. The judgment provides guidance [...]