The African Union’s Convention on Cyber Security and Data Protection (known as the Malabo Convention) has outlined principles which urge all AU member states to respect and protect individuals’ rights to privacy online and offline.
Multiple member states have already ratified the Malabo convention or put in place data protection laws and South Africa has become the latest African country to legislate the protection of personal information, with the country’s Protection of Personal Information Act in South Africa that came into effect on 1 July 2020.
Along with countries including Kenya, Botswana, and Nigeria, South African organisations must now move to comply with new regulations to protect identifying and personal information it collects, stores and manages, according to the AU convention.
It noted in a statement that global best practice in the protection of personal information would become increasingly important as pan-African trade picks up, and as African countries seek to boost exports internationally.
However, according to the charter, compliance with pan-African and global data privacy, security laws and regulations can be a daunting task for any organisation, especially since requirements are often vague and ambiguous, with little specific guidance as to how to achieve compliance.
In a 2019 survey conducted by Sophos, only 34 per cent of South African organisations were reportedly ready to comply with POPIA.
