Information Regulator has not issued one POPIA-related fine after over 500 reports

[Hanno Labuschagne]

Information Regulator has not issued one POPIA-related fine after over 500 reports

No fines have been issued against any South African company for violating the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).

This was revealed by Information Regulator president Pansy Tlakula during a recent ITWeb conference.

 

[Cranjus McBasketball]

Wait? Did anyone actually believe there would be?

 

[Sapphiron]

We write laws and establish regulators, but buggerall happens except it cost us all a ton of money.

 

[borro]

It’s the thought that counts

 

[DreamKing]

create laws are not able to implement ......

as always.

 

[Wut]

Wait? Did anyone actually believe there would be?

Wouldn't it have been easy money for the government? I would have thought they would have been on it like flies on sh#t.

 

[DapperDanMan]

This was revealed by Information Regulator president Pansy Tlakula

I put it to you, Pansy, that you have been a pansy in over 500 of these matters.

 

[DapperDanMan]

No fines have been issued

So now we can pursue these violations directly, in the civil courts, right?

 

[naeem]

lets not even start with RICA? and an honorable mention to FICA too

 

[rvZA]

I have to hand it to the POPIA regulator.... perhaps they have not issued any fine as yet, but they are definitely busy working. Instead of jumping in and fining companies out of existence, they are actually actively involved with helping companies to become compliant, even if the law is in place and they could have jailed and fined people. I know this because I was contacted by them. I had a personal meeting with one of the Advocates and they really went out of their way to help and guide me in becoming compliant.

That being said. I still have a number of issues with the POPI Act. It is clear it was written by morons and that there may be issues enforcing it and handing out fines. Still a lot of issues needs to be addressed by courts over the next few decades. The quicker this happens, the quicker POPIA will become an effective law. There had already been some court cases and wins for the people against POPIA.

 

[TelkomUseless]

Wait? Did anyone actually believe there would be?

Always makes me laugh when people think anything would be done by government in this country...

 

[Cranjus McBasketball]

Always makes me laugh when people think anything would be done by government in this country...

My default assumption when they do anything is that it'll either be useless or a total fustercluck.

 

[RonSwanson]

lets not even start with RICA? and an honorable mention to FICA too

And then we wonder why we get blackgreylisted

 

[RonSwanson]

Useless fat fsck has spent millions in taxpayer money on staff and offices for the past 4 years doing nothing.

 

[TelkomUseless]

Useless fat fsck has spent millions in taxpayer money on staff and offices for the past 4 years doing nothing.

Just like most of the other departments.... spend billions output is a mere drip.

 

[B-1]

Useless fat fsck has spent millions in taxpayer money on staff and offices for the past 4 years doing nothing.

Job creation. The only way they can do it is by creating new laws, ministers, departments and other government organisations with other peoples money.

 

[quovadis]

So by now the entire populations data has been lost with zero ramifications. Is there anything that actually is enforced anymore?

 

[rvZA]

So by now the entire populations data has been lost with zero ramifications. Is there anything that actually is enforced anymore?

In all fairness, entire population databases, like Home Affairs, SARS, Pension funds, all 4 major Banks, all Cellphone providers, Telkom, Retail institutions and much more were in public circulation long before POPIA came into existence, which means that it was neither illegal nor any crime committed at the time. Therefore, naturally, no consequences needed for anyone.

 

[KikzAzz]

I think the ANC politicians draft new laws as they see it as them leaving a legacy. The law does not have to mean anything. It is just bragging rights.

A law means squat if it is not enforced. Start with the simple laws, like not stopping at a step street. Enforce those rigorously and this would be a different country. And of course, zero tolerance for corruption. Enforce those and we will be the star of Africa.

Unfortunately, this is not the African way.

 

[rvZA]

I think the ANC politicians draft new laws as they see it as them leaving a legacy. The law does not have to mean anything. It is just bragging rights.

A law means squat if it is not enforced. Start with the simple laws, like not stopping at a step street. Enforce those rigorously and this would be a different country. And of course, zero tolerance for corruption. Enforce those and we will be the star of Africa.

Unfortunately, this is not the African way.

In addition to this, I think there is something much more sinister behind POPIA. I would love to see what they will do to companies or whistleblowers when it comes to politicians. I think, if you search some of my older posts on POPIA, I have mentioned before that I suspect that it was created with the aim of protecting corrupt politicians.