The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has raised concerns about the lack of data privacy in South Africa and its impact on children. The commission said that while South Africa has made important progress in establishing a legal framework for data protection, particularly through the constitution and the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia), there are concerns that must be addressed. On Data Privacy Day 2026, observed last week, the SAHRC affirmed that the protection of personal data is inseparable from the protection of human dignity, equality, and freedom.
SAHRC spokesperson Wisani Baloyi said the Popia affirm privacy as a fundamental right and imposes clear duties on those who collect, process, and share personal information. “The commission remains concerned that the lived reality of many people does not reflect the promise of these protections. Data breaches, identity theft, unlawful surveillance, and the reckless sharing of personal information continue to occur with alarming frequency.
Compliance is uneven, enforcement remains weak in practice, and public awareness of data rights is still limited.” In July 2025,The Citizenreported that South Africa continues to be a targetof cybercriminals, ranking 27th globally in the most breached countries in the second quarter of 2025, highlighting persistent cybersecurity gaps. A new report by Surfshark revealed that a total of 369 600 accounts were leaked in the country. Surfshark’s reportindicates that more than 21,000 South African accounts were breached between April and June, which translates to approximately three per 100,000 people.
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In total, South Africa has had a total of 124.2 million personal records exposed since 2004. On average, each email is breached with 2.9 additional data points. The commission said it is particularly concerned about the impact of data misuse on marginalised groups, including children, women, young people, older persons, and persons with disabilities.
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