IN CONVERSATION WITH NOMZAMO ZONDI, SPOKESPERSON FOR THE INFORMATION REGULATOR SA

The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has reserved judgment in a case that could have a lasting impact on how matric results are shared with the public. We know historically that newspapers were the place where matric results were published. The case pits the Information Regulator against the Department of Basic Education over whether publishing learners’ results is consistent with South Africa’s data privacy law, the Protection of Personal Information Act, or POPIA. After a two-day hearing earlier this week, the court will now decide whether the Department’s long-standing practice of releasing results publicly violates learners’ right to privacy.