The Information Regulator has renewed its efforts to challenge the longstanding practice of publishing matric results in newspapers, taking the matter to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA).
The action follows previous unsuccessful legal bids in the High Court concerning the enforcement of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
During an exclusive interview on YOU FM’s Breakfast With You, the Regulator’s Senior Manager of Communications and Media, Nomzamo Zondi, sought to clarify its position, saying the application aims to ensure that matric results are published in accordance with the provisions of POPIA.
“We are merely urging the Department of Basic Education to obtain the consent of the learners before publishing their results in the newspapers. We have issued an enforcement notice to the Department, indicating that these are the provisions of the law it needs to follow before publishing their personal information, which in this case is their exam number in the newspapers,” Zondi said.
She expressed confidence that the SCA would give the application the necessary consideration, as the matter seeks to protect learners’ right to privacy.
The Information Regulator will release a statement on the way forward once it receives a response from the court on whether it will hear the matter.
