Cape Town – The Information Regulator has filed an urgent application in the Pretoria High Court to stop the annual publication of matric results in newspapers, citing non-compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI).
The case will be heard on January 7, just days before the release of the Class of 2024 results.
NEWS JUST IN | The South African Information Regulator has petitioned the courts to prevent the release of the Matric results. pic.twitter.com/7RB9dyMWCx
— SABC News (@SABCNews) December 27, 2024
The regulator previously issued an enforcement notice to the Department of Basic Education, claiming the publication violated student privacy.
After the department failed to respond on time, an infringement notice was served, and a R5 million fine was imposed for inadequate protection of personal information.
It looks like POPIA may prevent the Dept of Basic Education from publishing matric results in newspapers #matric2024 pic.twitter.com/2UrTxoPX3m
— Ms. Siya Miti 🇿🇦 (@SiyaMiti_the1st) December 26, 2024
Chairperson Pansy Tlakula said that legal advice is being sought following the department’s challenge to the enforcement notice.
“We are taking legal advice because we were only served on Christmas Eve. As we speak we are taking legal advice from our lawyers on the next step,” SABC News quoted Tlakula as saying.
The department argues that the current format does not include identifiable student information and therefore does not breach privacy laws.
[MEDIA RELEASE] Statement on the infringement notice issued by the Information Regulator pic.twitter.com/ssiwPULZq9
— Dep. Basic Education (@DBE_SA) December 23, 2024
If the court rules in favor of the regulator, the Class of 2024 could be the first not to see their results published in newspapers.
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Source: AFP
Picture: Pixabay
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