POTRAZ in public awareness on Cyber and Data Protection Act

POSTAL and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe director general, Dr Gift Machengete

Ivan Zhakata Herald Correspondent

Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) is embarking on public sensitisation and awareness workshops on the Cyber and Data Protection Act (Chapter 12:07) to ensure personal data is protected from abuse or manipulation.

The exercise, which will begin next week, is aimed at educating people about their rights as enshrined in the Act.

In a statement, POTRAZ Director-general Dr Gift Machengete said as the designated data protection authority of Zimbabwe, they would like to inform all citizens that their online activities generate a trail of data as websites and applications collect data on among other things, individual behaviours and interests.

Dr Machengete said some organisations also collect and process personal information for various purposes and to ensure personal data was protected from abuse or manipulation, Government has enacted the Cyber and Data Protection Act (Chapter 12:07).

“The Act ensures that individuals have better control over their personal information and that this information is processed for a legitimate purpose and in a lawful, fair and transparent manner,” he said.

“In this regard, POTRAZ is organising public sensitisation and awareness workshops across the country to educate data subjects about their rights as enshrined under the Cyber and Data Protection Act (Chapter 12:07), beginning with Harare Province on 20, 22 and 27 June 2023.

“Transport to the workshops will be available for registered participants only from the Main Post Office along Innez Terrace Avenue (Harare) at 8am and back at 2.30pm.”