STAATSKOERANT, 31 Mei 2024 No. 50741   133 The implementation of this policy will benefit the country as follows: Enhanced data security: - the policy will protect private and sensitive information from • cyberattacks through the establishment of data protection protocols as required by the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA). Digital transformation - the policy will promote the use of technology in different sectors • to increase productivity and efficiency. Improved public service delivery – The policy will promote the use of cloud-based • solutions, which will help government departments offer better services to citizens and businesses. Economic growth – the policy will enable more businesses to leverage technology, • which will lead to increased job creation and economic growth. Enhanced collaboration – The policy aims to facilitate enhanced collaboration among • government departments, private entities, and research institutions, fostering the exchange of knowledge, data, and expertise. 5. OVERVIEW OF THE POLICY, LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY LANDSCAPE South African data legislative history was marked by the protection of state secrets and protect the sanctity of information. This begun with the Protection of Information Act of 1982 (Act No. 84 of 1982), the National Archives and Record Service of South Africa Act of 1996 (Act No. 43 of 1996), and the Minimum Information Security Standards (MISS) of 1996. These measures were conceived in an era where the digital economy was a distant dream, ensuring that sensitive state information remained in trusted hands. With the dawn of democracy in 1996, enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act No. 108 of 1996), the right to privacy was elevated to a constitutional guarantee. Section 14 of the Constitution proclaimed that every individual had the right to: • Their person or home searched. • Their property searched. • Their possession seized. • Their person or home searched. • Their property searched. • Their possession seized. • The privacy of their communications infringed. 11 This gazette is also available free online at www.gpwonline.co.za