17 Nov 2024

It is critical for citizens to understand the importance of data protection before the law on such becomes effective.

An expert in the field, Professor Snail Sizwe, who will be a keynote speaker at the Data Protection Conference billed for Gaborone next month, said in an interview that the conference was all inclusive as data protection affected all, adding that the conference was meant to educate participants in order for them to appreciate data protection laws and the consequences of non-compliance to them while assisting individuals, companies and public entities to start being compliant.

He said the conference was expected to discuss compliance, assessments of free trade of information and trading among countries. He further said it was expected to emphasise the need for some regulation to protect data from abuse, more especially that it had been a subject of discussion in Europe for over 40 years.

He regretted that it took about four years for his native South Africa to understand the importance of data protection laws and why they needed to be enforced.

The professor said more often than not, people shared personal information which was processed in numerous places, as such it was important to know how it was processed and be responsible for protecting personal data.

For her part, independent consultant and attorney, Ms Lebogang George said Botswana had the 2021 Data Protection law, which was amended this year to insert additional sections.

Ms George said the legislation gave individuals power and control over their personal information, which could be sensitive, as well as taught businesses and employers to be responsible with data, especially that of employees and customers.

“We never hear about cyber security, we never hear about hacking in Botswana, so this is going to be a first where people can talk about the hackings that happen,” she said of the conference.

Ms George said the Act was prescriptive if there was mismanagement or breached use of one›s data as it was P15million administrative fine or four percent of annual turnover though, investigations would be carried on. ENDS