Information In South Africa Research Articles

FACILITATING AUTOMATIC EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION ON BLOCKCHAIN: A SOUTH AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE

Exchange of information is a mechanism that enables tax authorities to share tax information across borders. Exchange of information curtails harmful practices such as tax evasion and tax avoidance by promoting cooperation between tax authorities. Recent world events have seen unprecedented levels of globalisation and novel income-earning structures. Taxpayers earn income from streams that were previously unavailable. These developments have led tax authorities to implement policies that focus on improved financial transparency and better multilateral cooperation. This article argues for the implementation of blockchain technology to facilitate exchange of information in South Africa. Blockchain is a ledger that records and stores information on an online network. Blockchain’s features make it conducive for use in cross-border administration and exchange of tax information. Blockchain creates a platform for financial transparency because data stored on the blockchain is reliable and accurate. Tax information is exchanged in real time, thereby reducing tax authorities’ administrative burden and enhancing cooperation.

PROTECTION OF INFORMATIONAL PRIVACY IN THE WORKPLACE GIVEN THE ADVANCEMENT IN TECHNOLOGY

The introduction of electronic communication in the workplace has changed how employers conduct their business and, in turn, the way that employees are expected to perform their duties. Increased electronic communication services in the workplace have infused the physical employment environment with electronic communication technology. The increase in this form of communication threatens the employee’s right to privacy in today’s workplace, which is characterised by reliance on information communication technology (ICT), and in particular, the use of emails and the Internet to conduct business. The purpose of this article is to suggest a frame of reference that could assist with the implementation of the Protection of Personal Information Act (4 of 2013) (POPIA) by organisations that process personal information in South Africa based on the conditions provided in POPIA.

Impediments during the execution of a search and seizure warrant for digital information by forensic investigators in South Africa

PurposeThis paper aims to identify impediments, discuss impediments and make recommendations for the impediments during the execution of a search and seizure warrant for digital evidence in South African criminal cases.Design/methodology/approachThe discussion of this article, the second article of two, focuses on a literature review of international and local impediments identified in case law and published research literature and how it is approached in various jurisdictions.FindingsThis study found that impediments identified and addressed internationally during the execution of a search and seizure warrant for digital evidence are relevant to South African criminal cases and still need to be addressed during the execution of a search and seizure warrant for digital evidence in South African criminal cases.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough searches and seizures for digital evidence are relevant to civil, regulatory and criminal investigations, this study focuses on the search and seizure for digital evidence in criminal matters with an emphasis on the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 and the Cybercrimes Act 19 of 2020.Originality/valueThe originality of this paper lies in the procedures followed during the physical search and seizure of digital information during the execution of search and seizure warrants for digital information in South Africa. If the South African Police Service follows the recommended procedures, it will contribute to the success of the South African Police Service, which would result in the improved quality of investigations and successful prosecution of crime in South Africa.

Impediments during the compilation of a search and seizure warrant for digital information by forensic investigators in South Africa

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss impediments in the compilation of an application for a search and seizure warrant for digital evidence and the structure of such a warrant in South African criminal cases. Design/methodology/approach This paper provides a brief overview of international and local impediments, followed by a detailed discussion of the implications of these impediments and how it is approached in various jurisdictions. The methodology of this paper consists of a literature review. Findings Addressing the impediments in the compilation of the application and the warrant will be beneficial for forensic investigators, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the administration of justice in South Africa. Research limitations/implications Search and seizures for digital evidence form part of civil, regulatory and criminal search and seizures. This study focuses on the search and seizure of digital evidence in criminal matters pursuant to mainly the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 and the Cybercrimes Act 19 of 2020. Originality/value The originality of this paper lies in the approach to the drafting of applications for search and seizure warrants for digital information in South Africa. The contribution of the study is that, by using this approach, the SAPS can address the impediments during the application and compilation of the warrants, which would enhance the quality of investigations and contribute to the successful investigation and prosecution of crime in South Africa.

Make personal information security great again: A case of users’ perspectives on personal identifiable information in South Africa

Background: There is concern that information technology (IT) users are not taking cognisance of personal information security (PIS), with many keen to disclose personal identifiable information (PII) across connected and integrated IT systems that use the Internet. Compromised PII has led to many users being vulnerable to information security risks emanating from malicious software and hackers.Objective: This article elicits perspectives from IT users in the metropole area of Johannesburg, South Africa, in an effort to raise awareness of the dangers of oversharing PII across the Internet.Methods: The study uses a quantitative approach to elicit data on user perspectives. The quantitative data were collected through online surveys distributed amongst IT employees working across various companies in Johannesburg.Results: The results revealed that of the four constructs drawn from the literature review, namely training, interest, awareness and action that possibly predict user predisposition to maintain information security at a personal level, of concern is that only the construct interest would not likely predict PIS.Conclusion: Dangers such as identity theft and phishing attacks are exacerbated by the willingness of users to overshare PII across social networks. A concerted user awareness campaign to promote user PIS needs to be revisited whilst incorporating innovative ways to raise interest amongst users regarding these dangers. South African companies are encouraged to invest resources in bespoke ways to increase user interest, which would be seen as an ideal starting point to making PIS great again.

Searching for HIV and AIDS Health Information in South Africa, 2004-2019: Analysis of Google and Wikipedia Search Trends.

BackgroundAIDS, caused by HIV, is a leading cause of mortality in Africa. HIV/AIDS is among the greatest public health challenges confronting health authorities, with South Africa having the greatest prevalence of the disease in the world. There is little research into how Africans meet their health information needs on HIV/AIDS online, and this research gap impacts programming and educational responses to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.ObjectiveThis paper reports on how, in general, interest in the search terms “HIV” and “AIDS” mirrors the increase in people living with HIV and the decline in AIDS cases in South Africa.MethodsData on search trends for HIV and AIDS for South Africa were found using the search terms “HIV” and “AIDS” (categories: health, web search) on Google Trends. This was compared with data on estimated adults and children living with HIV, and AIDS-related deaths in South Africa, from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, and also with search interest in the topics “HIV” and “AIDS” on Wikipedia Afrikaans, the most developed local language Wikipedia service in South Africa. Nonparametric statistical tests were conducted to support the trends and associations identified in the data.ResultsGoogle Trends shows a statistically significant decline (P<.001) in search interest for AIDS relative to HIV in South Africa. This trend mirrors progress on the ground in South Africa and is significantly associated (P<.001) with a decline in AIDS-related deaths and people living longer with HIV. This trend was also replicated on Wikipedia Afrikaans, where there was a greater interest in HIV than AIDS.ConclusionsThis statistically significant (P<.001) association between interest in the search terms “HIV” and “AIDS” in South Africa (2004-2019) and the number of people living with HIV and AIDS in the country (2004-2019) might be an indicator that multilateral efforts at combating HIV/AIDS—particularly through awareness raising and behavioral interventions in South Africa—are bearing fruit, and this is not only evident on the ground, but is also reflected in the online information seeking on the HIV/AIDS pandemic. We acknowledge the limitation that in studying the association between Google search interests on HIV/AIDS and cases/deaths, causal relationships should not be drawn due to the limitations of the data.

Data protection, data management, and data sharing: Stakeholder perspectives on the protection of personal health information in South Africa.

The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) 2013 came into force in South Africa on 1 July 2020. It seeks to strengthen the processing of personal information, including health information. While POPIA is to be welcomed, there are concerns about the impact it will have on the processing of health information. To ensure that the National Health Laboratory Service [NHLS] is compliant with these new strict processing requirements and that compliance does not negatively impact upon its current screening, treatment, surveillance and research mandate, it was decided to consider the development of a NHLS POPIA Code of Conduct for Personal Health. As part of the process of developing such a Code and better understand the challenges faced in the processing of personal health information in South Africa, 19 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders were conducted between June and September 2020. Overall, respondents welcomed the introduction of POPIA. However, they felt that there are tensions between the strengthening of data protection and the use of personal information for individual patient care, treatment programmes, and research. Respondents reported a need to rethink the management of personal health information in South Africa and identified 5 issues needing to be addressed at a national and an institutional level: an understanding of the importance of personal information; an understanding of POPIA and data protection; improve data quality; improve transparency in data use; and improve accountability in data use. The application of POPIA to the processing of personal health information is challenging, complex, and likely costly. However, personal health information must be appropriately managed to ensure the privacy of the data subject is protected, but equally that it is used as a resource in the individual’s and wider public interest.

Health Risk Analysis of Elemental Components of an Industrially Emitted Respirable Particulate Matter in an Urban Area.

Particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5) is a recognised carcinogen and a priority air pollutant owing to its respirable and toxic chemical components. There is a dearth of information in South Africa on cancer and non-cancer risks of exposure to heavy metal (HM) content of PM2.5. This study determined the seasonal concentration of HM in PM2.5 and the cancer and non-cancer risks of exposure to HM in PM2.5. Ambient PM2.5 was monitored and samples were collected during the winter and summer months in an industrialized area in South Africa. Concentration levels of nine HMs—As, Cu, Cd, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn—were determined in the PM2.5 samples using inductive coupled optical emission spectrophotometry. The non-cancer and cancer risks of each metal through the inhalation, ingestion and dermal routes were estimated using the Hazard Quotient and Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR), respectively, among infants, children, and adults. Mean concentration of each HM-bound PM2.5 was higher in winter than in summer. The probability of the HM to induce non-cancer effects was higher during winter than in summer. The mean ELCR for HMs in PM2.5 (5.24 × 10−2) was higher than the acceptable limit of 10−6 to 10−4. The carcinogenic risk from As, Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb were higher than the acceptable limit for all age groups. The risk levels for the carcinogenic HMs followed the order: Cr > As > Cd > Ni > Pb. The findings indicated that the concentrations of HM in PM2.5 demonstrated a season-dependent pattern and could trigger cancer and non-cancer health risks. The formulation of a regulatory standard for HM in South Africa and its enforcement will help in reducing human exposure to HM-bound PM2.5.

Compliance With International Financial Reporting Standards and Value Relevance of Accounting Information in South Africa

The objective of the study is to investigate the relationship between the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS 1) and the value relevance (VR) of accounting information. In this study forty-six companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange during the period 1993 to 2017. Panel data is used to compare the period before and after IFRS. The companies in the sample are composed of the following sectors; mining, manufacturing, banks and investment companies, real estate, general industry, retailers, construction and material, chemical and software, and computers. Based on the yearly financial reports published by public companies in South Africa, the study employed the Cookes (1992) Unweighted Disclosure Index to measure the level of compliance in South Africa. Fifty-six disclosure elements from IFRS 1 were utilized to measure the compliance level. Thereafter Ohlson (1995) Model is used with dummy variables to compare the pre-and post-IFRS period. First, the study reflected that most of the South African companies exhibit higher compliance rates ranging from 87 to 93.417 which is impressive. On the other hand, 4 companies recorded Medium level compliance that is between 60% to 79% compliance level. The findings further revealed that there is a significant positive association between compliance with IFRS 1 and the value relevance of accounting information.

Contact tracing during the COVID-19 pandemic: Protection of personal information in South Africa

Containing the COVID-19 pandemic necessitates the use of personal information without the consent of the person. The protection of personal information is fundamental to the rights that ensure an open and democratic society. When regulations that limit the right to privacy are issued outside of the democratic process, every effort must be made to protect personal information and privacy. The limitation of human rights must be treated as an exception to the norm, and any regulations should be drafted to ensure minimum limitation of rights, rather than to the minimum acceptable standard. The contact tracing regulations included in the COVID-19 disaster regulations include some basic principles to ensure privacy; however, other important principles are not addressed. These include principles of transparency and data security. The envisaged future use of human data for research purposes, albeit de-identified, needs to be addressed by the COVID-19 designated judge appointed under the regulations.

Protection of Personal Information Act 2013 and data protection for health research in South Africa

Abstract The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) [No.4 of 2013] is the first comprehensive data protection regulation to be passed in South Africa and it gives effect to the right to informational privacy derived from the constitutional right to privacy It is due to come into force in 2020, and seeks to regulate the processing of personal information in South Africa, regulate the flow of personal information across South Africa’s borders, and ensure that any limitations on the right to privacy are justified and aimed at protecting other important rights and interests. Although it was not drafted with health research in mind, POPIA will have an impact on the sharing of health data for research, in particular biorepositories. It is now timely to consider the impact of POPIA on biorepositories, and the necessary changes to their access and sharing arrangements prior to POPIA coming into force.

Comparing the protection and use of online personal information in South Africa and the United Kingdom in line with data protection requirements

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate the difference between South Africa (SA) and the United Kingdom (UK) in terms of data protection compliance with the aim to establish if a country that has had data protection in place for a longer period of time has a higher level of compliance with data protection requirements in comparison with a country that is preparing for compliance.Design/methodology/approachAn insurance industry multi-case study within the online insurance services environment was conducted. Personal information of four newly created consumer profiles was deposited to 10 random insurance organisation websites in each country to evaluate a number of data privacy requirements of the Data Protection Act and Protection of Personal Information Act.FindingsThe results demonstrate that not all the insurance organisations honored the selected opt-out preference for receiving direct marketing material. This was evident in direct marketing material that was sent from the insurance organisations in the sample to both the SA and UK consumer profiles who opted out for it. A total of 42 unsolicited third-party contacts were received by the SA consumer profiles, whereas the UK consumer profiles did not receive any third-party direct marketing. It was also found that the minimality principle is not always met by both SA and UK organisations.Research limitations/implicationsAs a jurisdiction with a heavy stance towards privacy implementation and regulation, it was found that the UK is more compliant than SA in terms of implementation of the evaluated data protection requirements included in the scope of this study, however not fully compliant.Originality/valueBased upon the results obtained from this research, it suggests that the SA insurance organisations should ensure that the non-compliance aspects relating to direct marketing and sharing data with third parties are addressed. SA insurance companies should learn from the manner in which the UK insurance organisations implement these privacy requirements. Furthermore, the UK insurance organisations should focus on improved compliance for direct marking and the minimality principle. The study indicates the positive role that data protection legislation plays in a county like the UK, with a more mature stance toward compliance with data protection legislation.

The value of information in South Africa’s new democracy

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to trace and analyse the relationship between information and democracy in the old and in the new South Africa. The authors interrogate the applicability to the situation of the famous quotation attributed to Thomas Jefferson, “Information is the currency of Democracy”.Design/methodology/approachThe authors frame the argument by analysing the differences in philosophy underpinning the state’s attitude to the free flow of information between the pre-democratic regime (often referred to as the Apartheid regime which came into power in 1948) and the current democratic state established in 1994.FindingsWhile the philosophical approach between the two regimes is demonstrably different – the findings show the discontinuities – the authors also find evidence of continuities. The authors examine traces of recurrent patterns and propose reasons for their persistence.Originality/valueBecause South Africa is a very young democracy it presents unique opportunities for social scientists to analyse the unfolding of challenges and opportunities not readily apparent in mature democracies. The theme of the issue allowed us to study and observe the evolution and growth of policy related to the free flow of information, and also to examine the current drift between policy and practice.

The limitation of the discovery rules of Court against the right of access to information in South Africa

Abstract In South Africa, the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA) gives effect to the right of access information in Section 32 of the South African Constitution (the Constitution). Section 7 of PAIA provides that PAIA does not apply to records required for criminal or civil proceedings after commencement of proceedings where access to that record is already provided for in any other law. Where records are obtained in contravention of Section 7, they are not admissible as evidence in criminal or civil proceedings. The aim of this paper is to determine whether the discovery rules of Court limit the constitutional right of everyone to access information. Consequently, the methodology employed in this paper involves a legal analysis namely: a limitations analysis utilising Section 36, the limitations clause of the Constitution. This paper further engages in case law analysis interpreting the exercise of the right of access to information before PAIA was passed and after PAIA was passed to highlight the anomaly of the application of Section 7. This paper argues that Section 7 unconstitutionally limits the ambit of the right of access to information and a direct constitutional challenge on this provision is necessary.

Study on the accuracy of school location information in South Africa

Accurate location information is required for proper planning and informed decision making in a variety of sectors. In the basic education sector, accurate school location information is typically required for road, electricity, internet connectivity and water infrastructure planning as well as planning for the delivery of textbooks and public transport (i.e. busses, taxis). The National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) commissioned the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to conduct a study of existing school location information in five NECT education districts (Bohlabela, Bojanala, Mount Frere, Uthungulu and Waterberg). School location information in two existing databases, i.e. Education Management Information System (EMIS) and National Education Information Management System (NEIMS) were assessed. Due to the nature of school buildings (i.e. varying form of schools) it is challenging to automate the identification of schools from satellite imagery by using machine learning/image processing techniques. Manual Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques were applied to conduct the study. High resolution satellite imagery and Google StreetView were utilised to ascertain the locations of schools. This study indicated that there are discrepancies between the EMIS and NEIMS databases and that there is a significant amount of school location information that might not be useful for proper planning and informed decision making in certain sectors due to the degree of positional inaccuracy of the data. If the positional accuracy of the incorrect school location information improves, it will have a positive impact on the overall outcomes of planning and decision making.

A comparative analysis of the right to access to environmental information in South Africa and Uganda

Even though the Ugandan legal framework on the right to access to environmental information has been described as one of the best in East Africa, it raises some legal concerns that could conceivably result in the limitation of the effectiveness of the right to access to information in the country. For example, the legal framework obliges only public bodies and not also private bodies to disclose vital information to the public. Also, there is great inconsistency between the constitutional and legislative limits of the right. The aim of this article is to critically appraise the Ugandan legal framework on the right to access to environmental information to determine whether the existing legal concerns constitute serious legal flaws, and if so, if this could greatly hinder the public right to gain access to vital information. During the course of this appraisal, the article compares the Ugandan legal regime with the South African equivalent, because the right to access to information is firmly entrenched in the South African legal framework and has been fleshed out to a considerable extent by the South African courts. Using the South African legal framework as a model could thus help to provide a comprehensive and workable solution to some of the legal challenges experienced by Uganda. The article concludes that there is a need for the Ugandan legislature to draw from the South African experience in order to address the existing concerns about the right to access to information in the country.

A study on students' acceptance of mobile phone use to seek health information in South Africa.

In South Africa, inequitable access to healthcare information has made many young people with limited resources more vulnerable to health risks. Mobile phones present a unique opportunity to address this problem due to the high penetration of mobile phones in South Africa and the popularity of these devices among young adults. This research sought to examine the adoption of mobile phones to access health information among students at a traditional university in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. A cross-sectional survey approach was used to collect information from a convenience sample of 202 university students (58 males; 104 females), the majority (71.3%) of whom were aged between 18 and 27 years and of Black African ethnicity (75.2%). The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) framework formed the theoretical foundation for the questionnaire. A research model was developed to test the hypotheses that behavioural intention to use a mobile phone to access health information would be influenced by: perceived usefulness (PU), perceived effort, social influence (SI), attitude towards technology (AT) and mobile phone experience. Factor analyses indicated that the research model explained 36% of the variance in behavioural intention to use mobile devices to search for health-related queries, with PU being the largest predictor, followed by mobile experience, SI, and AT. Perceived effort did not make a statistically significant contribution. Using mobile phones to disseminate health information to students is a useful, convenient, and cost-effective health-promotion strategy. This research has contributed to the body of knowledge concerning the applicability of the UTAUT framework to study the adoption of technology and provided useful information to guide future research and implementation of mHealth initiatives.

A supply chain cost reduction framework for the South African mobile phone industry

Background: The costs incurred in the provision of products and services across the supply chain are on the rise in many industries, including the mobile phone industry. Despite this, there is limited information in South Africa on the perceptions of supply chain players regarding cost reduction in the mobile phone industry. Furthermore, there is currently no framework for reducing supply chain costs in the South African mobile phone industry.Aim: The purpose of this study is to explore supply chain costs in the South African mobile phone industry, and to develop a supply chain cost-reduction framework for the South African mobile phone industry.Setting: This study explores supply chain costs in four mobile phone companies operating in the South African mobile phone industry, of which three mobile network operators and one mobile retailing group. It uses semi-structured interview data collected in 2011.Method: This study adopted a qualitative case study design to understand supply chain costs and develop a supply chain cost-reduction framework for the South African mobile phone industry. Eight semi-structured interviews with managers of mobile phone companies were conducted. The data were analysed with the help of Atlas.ti, using an adapted three-phased analytical framework as suggested by Miles and Huberman (1994) and O’ Dwyer (2004).Results: The study found that consolidation of strategic relationships through collaboration and strategic alliances between MNOs and other supply chain players is one of the ways to drive costs down across the supply chain. Outsourcing of some of the support activities and retailers’ direct purchasing transactions from device manufacturers were also found to be other avenues for reducing supply chain costs in the industry.Conclusion: The study suggests that mobile network operators (MNOs) need to consolidate their strategic relationships by increasing the share of the network infrastructure, and emphasising the need to strive for operational efficiencies. This combined effort should result in significant cost reductions across the supply chain. The findings of this study provided some avenues that managers of mobile-phone companies could consider to drive costs down supply chain-wide and service end-users at lower rates. The findings of this study could also help regulating authorities to get insights into supply chain cost reduction and develop appropriate mobile phone policies in South Africa.

The gender dimensions of social networks and help-seeking behaviors of young adults in Soweto, South Africa

BackgroundYoung people constitute a major proportion of the general population and are influenced by a variety of factors, especially in regards to seeking help. An understanding of help-seeking behaviors among young people is important for designing and implementing effective targeted health services.MethodsWe conducted in-depth interviews with 23 young adults aged 21–22 years in Soweto, South Africa, to explore the gender dimensions of social networks and help-seeking behaviors.ResultsWe found that young men had larger peer social networks than young women and that young women's social networks centered on their households. For general health, both young men and young women often sought help from an older, maternal figure. However, for sexual health, young men consulted their group of peers, whereas young women were more likely to seek information from one individual, such as an older female friend or family member.ConclusionThese differences in help-seeking behaviors have important implications for the delivery of health information in South Africa and how health promotion is packaged to young men and women, especially for sexual and reproductive health issues. Peer educators might be very effective at conveying health messages for young men, whereas women might respond better to health information presented in a more confidential setting either through community health workers or mHealth technologies. Provision of or linkage to health services that is consistent with young people's health-seeking behavior, such as using peer educators and community health care workers, may increase the reach and utilization of these services among young people.

Children with disabling chronic conditions in the Western health subdistrict of Cape Town, South Africa: Estimating numbers and service gaps.

Children with disabling chronic conditions often have extensive, complex and unmet healthcare and educational needs. They can be defined as a subset of the group of children with chronic health conditions whose condition results in some degree of functional or activity limitation. There is limited information in South Africa and other low- and middle-income countries with regard to the percentage of such children that access specialist health and special educational services, particularly in an urban setting, and what services exist for them. To count the number of children with disabling chronic conditions who were accessing specialist health and special educational services in the Western health subdistrict of Cape Town, and to briefly describe the access to services outside of hospital-based specialist services. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted between January 2010 and December 2011. The target population included all children &lt;19 years of age with disabling chronic conditions, living in the Western subdistrict of Cape Town, who were accessing specialist health and special educational services. Such children were identified from the relevant referral hospitals, educational institutions, and private and non-profit organisations in the area. A total of 1 138 children with disabling chronic conditions were identified. In the context of an under-19 population of 112 249, this corresponds to a rate of 10 per 1 000, whereas the expected rate of children with disabling chronic conditions would be about 50 per 1 000. Only 14% of children in special educational institutions attended specialist paediatric services during a 2-year period. Allied health and medical services for children outside of hospitals were very limited. There are a significant number of children with disabling chronic conditions who do not access health and special educational services in the Western health subdistrict of Cape Town. Medical and allied health support for children in institutions is very limited. Current information systems are inadequate to describe the need.