Wouldn’t it be lovely if there were a comprehensive checklist that could help you comply with POPI or POPIA? Because the Protection of Personal Information (POPI) Act in South Africa is a principle-based law, it is not possible to only check off items on a list. Many organisations have shied away from taking steps to comply because of the complexity built into the law. We help set a clear path and see the wood for the trees.

Different organisations need to take different actions to comply with POPI, ensuring they do what is reasonably practicable.

What must I do to comply with POPI?

There are some basics that every organisation must attend to to comply with POPI. For example, in a recent briefing by the Information Regulator, they indicated that three million organisations in South Africa had not yet registered with the Information Regulator. Then there are slightly more complex items that should be attended to so that you comply with POPI, like drafting an up-to-date and comprehensive privacy policies for your organisation or providing appropriate awareness training for your staff. And then there are the more complex items, like getting a compliance framework in place, mapping your activities or enabling cross-border transfers.

How we can help you comply

We can help you at every level. For organisations

  • that are feeling left behind and want to make a fast start – try our Information Regulator Ready package.
  • with complex data and processes, we can empower you and your team, guiding you through our Michalsons data protection programme.
  • who have taken many steps and require an audit, or a POPI compliance framework, we can provide you with the tools you need.
  • needing contracts and policies drafted, our expert and specialist attorneys can get drafting for you.
  • needing data protection software, we can provide guidance and implementation support.
  • not sure about the impact of data protection laws, we provide an impact assessment and free initial consultation to set you on the right path.

Get in touch we look forward to helping you comply with POPI.