POPI integration with PAIA
POPI integration with PAIA is required, given that The Promotion of Access to Information Act has risen in prominence since the introduction of POPI. There are specific requirements in POPI that refer to PAIA. This article forms part of a series of POPI Governance articles written by TOSMS, to ensure a sustainable POPI outcome for companies. The series starts here.
It would be advisable to identify all the references to PAIA in the POPI Act and study these extracts. Our POPI online training programme has a handbook that accompanies the 10 modules and contains all these references with the appropriate extracts from PAIA.
PAIA relevance in processing of personal information
It is advisable for you to spend time familiarising yourself with the PAIA content as it has relevance in certain instances with your processing of personal information.
There is also the need for you to review your PAIA manual and add specific POPI content as a result of changes brought about by POPI.
A final comment on PAIA: The fact that PAIA now falls under the same regulator as POPI means there is a more dedicated regulatory focus than before. So it is advisable to ensure your understanding of and compliance with PAIA is on a par with POPI due to their close links in the legislation and the need to ensure good business practices are in place. POPI integration with PAIA should therefore be included in the planning to ensure a sustainable POPI outcome.
