Harare, (New Ziana) – As Zimbabwe moves develop new innovations in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) and South Africa Information Regulator (SAIR) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will assist in regulating data breaches and system vulnerabilities.
POTRAZ director general Gift Machengete and SAIR chief executive officer Musala-Nyani Musala signed the MoU in Harare on Monday.
“The signing of this MoU means that both parties have seen it fit to come together and collaborate because there are mutual benefits that will be realised. When we talk of personal data, we are talking of data that does not respect boundaries,” said Machengete.
“It is important for us to sit down and look at how we are going to protect data for our citizens. With security boundaries now blurred, how data is protected in South Africa and Zimbabwe are the standards that will help us to move forward given the increasing technological developments,” he added.
Machengete said Zimbabwe and South Africa need to be on the same level when it comes to data protection. “When you are a team, it is your weakest partner who causes problems foryou, and so in Southern Africa, if Zimbabwe is not brought to the same level, say with South Africa, it then means that their data protection will suffer because there is a weaker link. This is why we believe that this collaboration will make a difference for our nations,” he said.
Meanwhile, Musala said SAIR and POTRAZ have common interests, hence the need for regulatory collaboration between the two Southern African countries.
“Partnerships are always necessary for success, and the approach to data regulation must be consistent. That can only be possible if countries work closely in that regard. The signing of this MoU marks the beginning of a journey,” he said.
“It outlines different areas of collaboration and timelines. For example, if there are five activities in a programme, what will be the timelines? The first step is to come together. If activities are organised in any of the two countries, we will be inviting each other.”
He added that the MoU outlines the way challenges that may arise will be dealt with.
“There is an anticipation that challenges may arise along the way, including misunderstandings and disagreements over approaches. We will craft solutions that will help us to address those challenges. I believe that this MoU will be flexible and responsive to coordination between the two countries,” he said.
New Ziana
