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.

Beyond consent: Better grounds for processing personal data

Today, processing personal data is not just a technical matter but a legal requirement governed by strict rules. Relevant data protection laws generally state that every data processing activity must have a legal basis. Although many believe that consent is [...]

By |2025-02-20T12:20:17+02:00February 20th, 2025|Categories: POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , |
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Concepts of controller and processor – do you really know your processing role?

Did you know that your role can change from processor to controller and back again? This is a crucial concept to understand under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In a chain of processing activities, a controller and processor's role [...]

By |2026-01-13T00:17:12+02:00February 17th, 2025|Categories: POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , , , , , , |
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How POPIA affects AI

Artificial intelligence is transforming industries, but South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) sets clear rules for AI systems that process personal data. Businesses and organisations using AI must follow POPIA’s data protection principles to avoid legal risks and [...]

By |2025-01-31T17:14:00+02:00January 31st, 2025|Categories: POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , , |
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Matric results leak | Data breach

The recent matric results leak has raised serious concerns about data security and unauthorised access to student information. The breach, involving the early release of National Senior Certificate (NSC) results, has led to a criminal investigation and regulatory intervention. Here’s [...]

By |2025-01-31T11:35:22+02:00January 31st, 2025|Categories: POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , |
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Book on Rules by Eisen | Respectful Policies and Directives

As a lawyer, I’ve encountered many policies over many years. I’ve read, reviewed, interpreted, and drafted them. I now realise that they were almost all horrible. I’ve seen the light and woken up to a whole new world. The light [...]

By |2025-08-18T09:27:43+02:00January 22nd, 2025|Categories: Governance, IT Law, POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , , |
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Botswana Data Protection Act comes into effect

The Botswana Data Protection Act, 2024 (the new Act) has officially come into effect on 14 January 2025 after the Data Protection Act of 2018 (the 2018 Act) was repealed after facing multiple delays since its transition in 2021. The [...]

By |2025-06-09T16:33:57+02:00January 20th, 2025|Categories: POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , , , , , |
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How to Block Unwanted Calls, Phone Numbers and SMSs

Are you the target of direct marketing? Do you want to block calls from direct marketers or stop unwanted calls or SMSs selling you things? Direct marketing is the when goods or services are sold direct to the public rather than [...]

By |2025-02-25T16:22:49+02:00December 16th, 2024|Categories: Consumer Protection, Marketing Law, POPI and Data Protection|Tags: |
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Data protection standard | Bureau Veritas | ISO | SANS

For many, a data protection standard is the holy grail in assisting them to comply with data protection laws. Data protection standards often provide practical, actionable controls (almost a checklist) that they can implement to protect data and, therefore, comply [...]

By |2025-01-27T14:39:30+02:00December 12th, 2024|Categories: POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , , , |
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Guidance note on direct marketing in South Africa

The regulator has issued a guidance note on direct marketing as regulated by section 69 of POPIA. The regulator has noted on many occasions that it has received an increasing number of complaints about the processing of personal information in [...]

By |2026-08-07T17:12:43+02:00December 4th, 2024|Categories: Marketing Law, POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , , |
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South African National Policy on Data and Cloud

The South African National Policy on Data and Cloud was published in May 2024. Data is at the heart of everything and so it is hard to imagine a more important government policy. If South Africa gets its government [...]

By |2025-01-27T17:04:47+02:00November 26th, 2024|Categories: Information Law, IT Law, POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |
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