Statement on Data Privacy Day - #HandsOffOurPrivateInfo

28 January 2019

On Monday 28 January 2019 – World Data Privacy Day – we call on ordinary South Africans to demand that their personal information gets proper legal protection.

For ordinary South Africans, Data Privacy Day 2019 is a reminder that our private information is not protected, even though on paper we have the Protection of Personal Information Act of 2013 (the POPI Act), which would prevent our personal information being abused by private companies and government agencies. Five years after being signed, the law is still not in force.

Meanwhile, corporate ‘data breaches’ have exposed tens of millions of South Africans’ personal information. And every day, ordinary South Africans get calls and messages from private companies, political parties, and dodgy lenders that have bought or traded people’s private information in the hopes of getting profit or votes.

Why is the POPI Act not in force? This is due to years of delays in getting the new government watchdog, the Information Regulator, operational. Headed by Advocate Pansy Tlakula, the Information Regulator would have the mandate to enforce POPI and step in when companies or government agencies misuse our personal information. But it still does not have the staff, resources and systems to fulfil this mandate, and the legal protections for our personal information will not be enacted until this changes.

On World Data Privacy Day 2019, we demand to know when South Africans’ personal information will be protected. The POPI Act is a vital law and we need the watchdog up and running to enforce our privacy rights.

We invite supporters to add their name to an online campaign demanding protection for their personal information: https://awethu.amandla.mobi/p/protectourprivacy

Learn more about what the POPI Act means for ordinary people: https://r2k.org.za/popi-guide

Issued by Busi Mtabane on behalf of R2K, 28 January 2019