Personal information law extends right to privacy

The draft Protection of Personal Information Bill, which deals with data privacy and information protection, is expected to become law this year — with significant implications for South African business. The South African Law Reform Commission has issued a discussion paper that recommends the introduction of legislation regulating the collection, storage and processing of personal information by the public and private sector. The paper contains the draft Protection of Personal Information Bill intended to become comprehensive legislation that, for the first time, will take the right of privacy in SA beyond the realm of common law and into the constitution. It also strives to take into account practical issues relating to the use of personal information in a business context, and all businesses will be required to comply with requirements governing the collection, use, dissemination and processing of client and employee personal information. More...

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