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New law protects personal info

2009-08-28 09:57
line

Cape Town - A strict piece of legislation, which prohibits any institution from divulging personal information without a good reason, has been given the green light by Cabinet.

According to this law, institutions are no longer allowed to sell lists of people's personal information to especially telemarketers.

The legislation requires that each person on such a list must first be contacted and their permission obtained before their information may be sold.

Furthermore, telemarketers may only phone members of the public once. If a person tells the telemarketer during the call that they may never be phoned again, the telemarketer may never phone that person again.

Concern over 2010

Cabinet has already given permission for the legislation to be taken to Parliament.

Government wants the legislation on the statute books before hundreds of thousands of foreign visitors come to South Africa to attend the Soccer World Cup next year.

On Thursday, the Judicial Service Commission, which compiled the legislation, revealed more details about the legislation, according to which, the net of protection of information will be cast widely, and everyone "from churches to banks, schools and the video shop where you do business" will open themselves to criminal prosecution if they do not have the measures to protect people's personal information.

Ananda Louw handled the commission's research, which started back in 2003. On Thursday, she said this new legislation would bring South Africa in accordance with about 50 countries which already had such strict laws.

A delicate balance

"With this legislation, we've hopefully managed to maintain a delicate balance between the legal free flow of information on the one hand, and the protection of people's personal information on the other. We were also very much focused on abolishing so-called electronic junk mail, or spam.

"Cabinet has given the legislation the green light. Naturally 2010 plays an important role, since government would like to see that all the foreign visitors spend their time in South African peacefully, knowing that their personal information is safe."

According to Louw, the legislation also provided for an information regulator who would observe and adjudicate institutions which store information.

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Latest comment in South Africa

Martin says... I would like to ask of these right wing fools: are you going to march against the monster who raped his ex-wife and killed his stepson too? Or is that crime acceptable because he is white? (I remember you lot being very upset when you all thought it was done by Black South Africans. and are you going to march to courts in Soweto because the most victims of crime in SA are black, or does that not matter? Listen to me, and get this very clear VVK. A few hundred fossils showed up for your Volks Vergadering. You do not represent the Afrikaners of this country. I am an Afrikaner, and I only have contempt for your evil ways. I will fight you in any way I can, I will debate you, I will show how foolish your ideas are, and I will be there - making it clear you do not speak for me, you do not speak for the majority of Afrikaners. You don't like it in SA, good, we don't like your sort in SA - so move, please please move. Go now. Leave this country for the vast majority of decent people of all races and cultures who just want to make our country work. Read the article...

 
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