POPIA and Privacy: Protecting Health and Sex Life Data

As conversations around data privacy grow louder, South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) is back in the spotlight — this time focusing on one of the most sensitive categories of personal data: health and sex life information. In this episode, we unpack the new draft Regulations to POPIA, which propose updates to how this data can be collected, processed, and shared. We explore: What the draft Regulations mean for Responsible Parties such as medical schemes, insurers, and employers. Why explicit consent remains a cornerstone of lawful data processing. How landmark Constitutional Court cases, including Satchwell v President of South Africa and NM v Smith, continue to shape privacy rights in South Africa. The intersection between POPIA and other key laws like the National Health Act and Promotion of Access to Information Act. With privacy, ethics, and compliance in focus, this episode offers clear insights for businesses, HR professionals, and healthcare stakeholders navigating the evolving data protection landscape. Tune in to understand how these draft Regulations could reshape the boundaries of consent, privacy, and constitutional protection — and what your organisation should be doing now to prepare.