THE PROTECTOR OF SA'S INFORMATION
YOU South Africa|16 March 2023
As head of the Information Regulator, Pansy Tlakula is determined to safeguard citizens' private details
LESEGO SEOKWANG
THE PROTECTOR OF SA'S INFORMATION

SHE often refuses to have her licence disc scanned when she enters a gated community - much to the annoyance of security guards.

But as the head of the Information Regulator (IR) of South Africa, Pansy Tlakula knows better than to expose her personal information carelessly.

"One of the problems we have in this country is the rate at which personal information is collected unnecessarily, she tells YOU when we meet at her office in Braamfontein, a stone's throw from the Johannesburg CBD.

She's not one to pull rank, but in some instances she's been forced to disclose her designation to protect her information from being collected.

"One of the things the protection of personal information act says is that anyone who collects personal information must collect only the minimum information they need for the purpose for which they want to use it," Pansy says.

"They scan your licence disc, it has your ID, your home address... and after that, we don't know what happens to that personal information. That's why there are so many data breaches in South Africa."

Pansy (65) knows what she's talking about. For the past six years, she's been at the helm of the IR, an independent body that monitors and enforces compliance with the promotion of access to information act (Paia) and the protection of public information act (Popia).

Her office is swamped with complaints - they receive at least 500 notifications of data violations from the public every three months.

In the latest data breach, FNB exposed the personal information of customers applying for home loans on their banking app during a glitch in February.

There have been other breaches too: in 2022, three million South Africans had their information compromised when credit-reporting company TransUnion was hacked.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة 16 March 2023 من YOU South Africa.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة 16 March 2023 من YOU South Africa.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من YOU SOUTH AFRICA مشاهدة الكل
BALLON IN THE BAG
YOU South Africa

BALLON IN THE BAG

Manchester City midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante says his Ballon d'Or win is a victory for Spanish football

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
IT WAS ALL A LIE
YOU South Africa

IT WAS ALL A LIE

A new doccie exposes the Grey's Anatomy writer who fabricated her life story

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'
YOU South Africa

'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'

After her husband, anticorruption activist Alexei Navalny, was poisoned and murdered by the Kremlin, she became the public face of Russia's opposition. In this candid interview Yulia Navalnaya opens up about life on the run, her perilous family life and why she's continuing her husband's fight to save their country

time-read
10+ mins  |
14 November 2024
AGREE TO DISAGREE
YOU South Africa

AGREE TO DISAGREE

Trevor Noah on how his childhood squabbles with his mother inspired his delightful new book

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
PAUSE THE CLOCK
YOU South Africa

PAUSE THE CLOCK

Researchers have discovered that the ageing process spikes at 44 and 60. Here's what you can do to slow it down

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
MPOOMY ON TOP
YOU South Africa

MPOOMY ON TOP

We chat to SA's most popular female podcaster about love, loss and her booming success

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME
YOU South Africa

MY BROTHER IS NOT TO BLAME

Tinus Drotské says his sibling, ex Bok Nǎka, is the victim in the brawl with a neighbour that landed up in court

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
MATT THE RECLUSE
YOU South Africa

MATT THE RECLUSE

A year after his friend's tragic death, the actor continues to shun the spotlight

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024
A LEAP OF FAITH
YOU South Africa

A LEAP OF FAITH

After her husband tried to kill her by tampering with her parachute she thought she'd never trust a man again-but now she's found love

time-read
5 mins  |
14 November 2024
THEY'RE MY KIDS!
YOU South Africa

THEY'RE MY KIDS!

This West Coast woman treats her monkeys as iftheyre humans and animal activists are not happy about it

time-read
4 mins  |
14 November 2024