South Africa: Closed consultation on Information Regulator Code of conduct on personal information protection in the direct marketing industry

On 14 July 2023, the Information Regulator closed a consultation on a code of conduct on personal information protection in the direct marketing industry. The code applies to members of the direct marketing association of South Africa. The code imposes obligations such as appointing Information Officers, establishing a compliance framework, conducting Personal Information Impact Assessments, and ensuring that personal information collection is adequate and relevant. It also requires documentation of the lawful basis for processing, obtaining consent for unsolicited electronic marketing, maintaining transparency about data practices, and upholding data subjects' rights while establishing a complaint handling process for dispute resolution.