We bring you POPI Act news as well as news relating to privacy and security practices. A number of key news items are listed below for your information.If you would like to receive updates via email, please visit our POPI News and Information Signup page.
February 2017
Information Regulator now being established!
The Information Regulator has taken up office and indications are that the team is making good progress in establishing the new function. Key points which indicate their progress include:[showhide type="a1" more_text="Show more..." less_text="Show less..."]
- A new website has been launched which gives them an independent identity;
- The Information Regulator prefers the act to be called POPIA because of the linkage between POPI and PAIA as well as the balance that is needed between these acts;
- The Information Regulator team is working on draft POPIA regulations which are likely to be submitted to Parliament around the end of Q3 2017;
- Benchmarking against data protection legislation in other countries is planned and will include the UK, Germany, Mexico and a number of African countries.
For more information, visit the Information Regulator’s new website. [/showhide]
December 2016
Information Regulator holds inaugural meeting more
On 1 December 2016, the Information Regulator held its inaugural meeting at Salu Building in Pretoria to commence with their duties and functions. Click here to read the Media Statement released by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.
October 2016
Information Regulator (POPI and PAIA) Appointed
On 26 October 2016, the long overdue appointment of the Information Regulator took place with Adv Pansy Tlakula being named as the chair.[showhide type="b1" more_text="Show more..." less_text="Show less..."] The appointment is effective 1 December 2016. The other members of the Information Regulator office are Adv Cordelia Stroom and Mr Johannes Weapond as full time members, and Prof Tana Pistorius and Mr Sizwe Snail as part-time members.
We anticipate that commencement of the POPI Act will follow in the first quarter of 2017 and that the transition period will commence during the first half of the year.[/showhide]
September 2016
National Assembly votes in favour of Information Regulator
On 7 September 2016, National Assembly voted in favour of the Information Regulator for POPI and PAIA. [showhide type="b2" more_text="Show more..." less_text="Show less..."]The Assembly voted for five nominated candidates. The recommendation has been passed to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services. We will keep watching with great anticipation for the next developments.[/showhide]
July 2016
IACT-Africa exhibits at ARC Expo 2016
IACT-Africa exhibited at the ARC (Association of Residential Communities) Expo at Midstream Estate in Midrand on 28th and 29th July 2016. [showhide type="b3" more_text="Show more..." less_text="Show less..."]The Expo was part of the ARC annual conference. The conference was attended by over 200 delegates. Other exhibitors included Telkom, MTN, Vodacom, Estate Living and Smart Technology Centre to name a few. IACT-Africa’s participation in the Expo illustrates the importance of protecting personal information in residential estates.[/showhide]
May 2016
IACT-Africa presents at Xperien IT Asset Disposal and POPI Event
IACT-Africa was invited to speak at an event run by a new client, Xperien, on 27th May 2016. [showhide type="b4" more_text="Show more..." less_text="Show less..."]Their core business is IT Asset Disposal which has a strong link with the POPI Act. The event was held at the Slow in the City Hotel in Sandton on 27th May 2016 and was attended by close to 60 delegates from a number of large organisations. John Cato did a POPI presentation and Dr Peter Tobin took part in 2 press interviews. Other talks included a talk on IT Assessment Management, IT Asset Disposal and Cyber-crime. [/showhide]
JSE-listed IT companies appoint IACT-Africa
IACT-Africa has two new clients in the IT sector to provide POPI products and services to them for their internal compliance initiatives. [showhide type="b5" more_text="Show more..." less_text="Show less..."]Both represent a significant vote of confidence in the POPI products and services we offer. More about these clients once we have matured the projects to be able to use them as a reference.[/showhide]
IACT-Africa POPI Compliance Projects
IACT-Africa has a growing base of satisfied clients for our POPI Compliance products and services. [showhide type="b6" more_text="Show more..." less_text="Show less..."]
These clients include:
- Rexel South Africa
- Inovocom
- Downes Murray International (KwaZulu-Natal)
- W M Kumalo Practice
- Media Works
- Digital Optometry (Eastern Cape)
- Big Five Duty Free
All seven of these clients have made available their details for customer satisfaction reference purposes. IACT-Africa has a number of other POPI Compliance Preparation Projects underway with clients in a number of sectors, including retail, estate management, personnel services and asset management and disposal.[/showhide]
April 2016
Partnership with ISASA
ISASA – the Independent Schools Association of South Africa has accepted IACT-Africa as a new Corporate Member. [showhide type="b7" more_text="Show more..." less_text="Show less..."]Following a number of interactions at ISASA members events, the ISASA policy unit spent some time evaluating the IACT-Africa POPI Compliance Toolkit and its suitability for use by ISASA member schools. This culminated in the signing of an agreement which positions IACT-Africa as a recognised supplier of POPI-related products and services to IASA member schools at preferential rates. With over 750 member schools (counting all of the individual phases of each institution), ISASA has grown to pre-eminence amongst not only its own members but the wider community as a leader in the provision of support, direction and guidance to independent schools in Southern Africa. IACT-Africa has already initiated a series of regional POPI workshops which will lead to a number of implementation projects at individual schools.[/showhide]
August 2015
Partnership with ARC
ARC – the Association of Residential Communities has accepted IACT-Africa as a new Business Partner. [showhide type="b8" more_text="Show more..." less_text="Show less..."]The partnership commenced with POPI workshops being run for estate management in the Western Cape, Gauteng and KZN. In excess of 60 estate managers attended these workshops. We are currently working with a number of estates on their POPI projects.[/showhide]
June 2015
IACT-Africa presents at the South Africa Accounting Academy (SAAA) NPO Conference on 4th June 2015
IACT-Africa presented to delegates at the SAAA conference for NPOs on 4th June 2015 at the Wanderers Club in Johannesburg thus establishing a relationship with SAAA and its members.[showhide type="b9" more_text="Show more..." less_text="Show less..."]The session, run by John Cato (IACT-Africa CEO) wasn’t a traditional presentation but took the form of a quiz. This certainly got the delegates involved in spite of the fact that the session was the last session on the last day of the conference. Lots of fun was had by all and the delegates learned about the POPI Act in the process.[/showhide]
May 2015
IACT-Africa presented to the Mpumalanga Chapter of the South African Council for Business Women (SACBW) at Loskop Dam on 22 May 2015.[showhide type="b10" more_text="Show more..." less_text="Show less..."] The day was attended by close to 30 Mpumalanga SACBW members who found the POPI presentation interesting, evidence being shown by the number of questions that were asked. The presentation was delivered by John Cato, IACT-Africa consultant and founding director. [/showhide]
April 2015
IACT-Africa presented to the Free State Chapter of the South African Council for Business Women (SACBW) in Bloemfontein in April 2015.[showhide type="b11" more_text="Show more..." less_text="Show less..."]The day was attended by close to 30 Mpumalanga SACBW members who found the POPI presentation interesting, evidence being shown by the number of questions that were asked. The presentation was delivered by John Cato, IACT-Africa consultant and founding director.[/showhide]
Detailed list of POPI Act Talks
Please click here for a detailed list of POPI Act talks delivered by Dr Peter Tobin.
Please contact us for more information.