South Africa’s POPIA uniquely protects both individuals and legal entities, a departure from typical data protection laws. We have focused on understanding this unique figure (Will it one day offer key insights into the complexities arising from the increasing use of AI?) before discussing similarities with the GDPR and international data transfers, both within the SADC region and the wider African continent.

Advocate Dirontsho Mohale holds an LLB, postgraduate diplomas in Compliance Management and Senior Management Development Programme from the University of Johannesburg and Regent Business School respectively. She is an Admitted Advocate of the High Court of South Africa, a member and a fellow of the Compliance Institute of Southern Africa - CPrac (SA), International Certified Compliance Practitioner (International Federation of Compliance Associations), is designated Fellow in information Privacy (CIPP/E and CIPM) by the International Association of Privacy Professionals and a FAIS Compliance Officer approved by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority. She is also a former non-executive director on the board of the Compliance Institute Southern Africa and chairs the Social, Ethics, Remuneration and Nominations Committee and a board member of the Each One Hold One.

Dirontsho has worked in senior management positions within the financial services sector, locally and internationally, and has over 20 years’ experience as a compliance officer as well as in risk, governance and legal. She has occupied compliance roles in some of South Africa’s major banks and leading insurance companies. Her most recent roles include Senior Compliance Manager for Data Privacy and Corporate Governance at Discovery Group and Executive: POPIA at the Information Regulator SA as well as the role of a data privacy lead for Standard Bank Group after spending some time as the data privacy lead for Standard Bank South Africa.

In her capacity as CEO of Baakedi Professional Practice, she offers governance, risk, legal, ethics and compliance services to organisations including data protection authorities not only within financial services providers, but in general; focusing mostly on data protection and privacy in the SADC region.

References:

* Advocate Dirontsho Mohale on LinkedIn

* Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI Act) - POPIA

* South Africa: Amendments to the POPIA regulations (Baker & McKenzie)

* SADC: Southern African Development Community

* Data Protection: Kenya and the EU launch very first Adequacy Dialogue on the African continent (May 2024).

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