Parliament, Tuesday, 12 May 2020 – The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services today decried the fact that several sections of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) have not been implemented.
Committee Chairperson Mr Bulelani Magwanishe said this leaves South Africans’ personal information at risk of being intercepted and exposed. His comments follow a presentation from the Information Regulator on its Annual Performance Plan and Budget for 2020/2021, in which the regulator made an urgent plea for the full implementation of POPIA.
The committee heard POPIA must come into effect in full, as people are acting with impunity knowing they can get away with it. The committee further noted that the only sections of POPIA that have come into effect are: 1, 39-54, 112 and 113. The Regulator has requested the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services and the President to bring the remaining sections of POPIA into effect.
Several Members of the Committee expressed concerns regarding the partial implementation, noting that the Act was passed in 2013. The committee heard that a meeting between the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and the Information Regulator needs to take place to further discuss implementation.
“We need specific timeframes. Immediately after the budget process of the department and entities has been finalised, the committee will convene a meeting for an update on this matter. By then we want to hear that all meetings that need to happen have taken place and that the matter is with the President,” said Mr Magwanishe.
“However, fully implementing the Act is not enough. The budget of the regulator also needs to be addressed urgently. We cannot give them more responsibilities and the money does not flow to them as well.”
Mr Magwanishe said: “In the advent of the fourth industrial revolution, a strong regulator is needed that is well capacitated.”
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICE, MR BULELANI MAGWANISHE.
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