The upcoming Protection of Personal Information (PoPIA) Act has left South African companies uncertain about its implications, as it is set to come into effect soon. This vital bill highlights the importance of both Data Security and Data Quality, which are fundamental elements of any robust Data Governance practice. Let’s delve into the key aspects of the bill:

Data Security Perspective

From a data security standpoint, the bill demands that organizations provide evidence of restricted access to sensitive data. The current manual data entitlement review process incurs substantial costs, especially when dealing with unstructured data sources like file shares and web portals. To stay compliant, you must address the following questions:

• Do you know where sensitive data is exposed in your environment?
• Who currently has access to this data?
• Should they be granted access?
• What steps can you take to rectify any unauthorized access?

Data Quality Perspective

The bill also places significant emphasis on data quality, requiring organizations to furnish consumers with a clear and accurate view of all stored data. Corporations have historically struggled to identify and consolidate client records across product systems, business units, and operational areas.

For instance, when a client record is updated in the call centre, does this information synchronize across all product systems? Can you confidently identify the best client record? These data governance challenges can be effectively addressed through robust data quality processes and tools.

Cost-Effective Management of Data Quality and Privacy

Both data quality and data privacy implications of the Bill must be managed cost-effectively to avoid penalties. The upside is that adopting an enterprise-wide perspective for data management can lead to considerable reuse benefits and efficiencies.

For your organization to thrive under the new Protection of Personal Information Act, a proactive approach to data security and data quality is indispensable. By ensuring compliance with the bill’s requirements and implementing sound data governance practices, you can unlock the true value of your enterprise information assets.