5 Functions of the Authority (1) Subject to this Act, the functions of the Authority shall be(a) to promote and enforce fair processing of personal data in accordance with this Act; (b) to issue its opinion either of its own accord, or at the request of any person with a legitimate interest, on any matter relating to the application of the fundamental principles of the protection of privacy, in the context of this Act; (c) to submit to the Court any administrative act which is not compliant with the fundamental principles of the protection of the privacy in the framework of this Act as well as any law containing provisions regarding the protection of privacy in relation to the processing of personal data in consultation with Minister responsible for Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act Chapter 10:27; (d) to advise the Minister on matters relating to right to privacy and access to information; (e) to conduct inquiries/investigations either of its own accord or at the request of the data subject or any interested person, and in relation thereto may call upon the assistance of experts to carry out its functions and may request the disclosure of any documents that may be of use for their inquiry/ investigation. (f) to receive, by post or electronic means or any another equivalent means, the complaints lodged against a personal data processing and give feed-back to the claimants/complainants. (g) to investigate any complaint received in terms of this Act howsoever received; (h)Subject to this Act, the Authority shall not, in the lawful exercise of its functions under this Act, be subject to the direction or control of any person or authority. i) To regulate the manner in which personal information may be processed through the establishment of conditions for the lawful processing of personal data. j) to conduct research on policy and legal matters relating to the development of international best practices on the protection of personal information in Zimbabwe and advice the Minister accordingly. Draft Data Protection Bill Version 1.0 13