Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet) is geared up to support businesses with the most modern ICT backbone infrastructure. “We are your partner in business and are continuously exploring ways in which we can add value to you and enable your businesses to be the best that they can be,” said BoFiNeT Deputy Board Chairperson, Justice William. Addressing businesses this week at the stakeholder engagement sessions on Data Protection Act and Digital Delta Data Centre, William said the company is looking to forge a stronger partnership with all industry stakeholders. “In our efforts to continue to bring relevant ICT solutions to this market and help our partners to achieve their mandates, we are currently constructing a 1,000sqm, 400-rack tier 3 vendor-neutral data centre that will be the biggest in Botswana,” he said William said the facility is expected to be an answer to cyber security risk management and compliance, as the Data Protection Act enacted last year is due for implementation in the next four months. BoFiNet’s new data centre is expected to help companies deal with loads of personal data generated in their operations. “The digital world seems to become more and more complex every day. The amount of personal data that is held by organisations is growing at an astronomical pace,” said Williams.
He warned that cyber security issues are also increasingly becoming a concern as more and more personal data is being stored on digital platforms. “Banking is one of the sectors that are very vulnerable to cyber security risk,” said Williams. Though the new Data Protection Act is expected to be fully implemented in the next four months, the Information and Data Commissioner, Kepaletswe Somolekae said the Act has some ‘serious gaps’ which are critical. She said the Act does not apply to the processing of personal data in the course of a purely personal or household activity and by or on behalf of the State where the processing involves national security, defence or public safety, for the prevention and investigation or proof of offences. In addition, the Act also does not apply to the processing of data for prosecution of offenders or the execution of sentences or security measures and for economic or financial interest, including monetary, budgetary and taxation matters. Somolekae said the Act will be amended before the end of the year, as the Commission is in the process of generating and collecting the necessary input from all stakeholders. “By end of the year, we will have the bill ready for November sitting,” said Somelekae. “We are only filling in the gaps, I don’t see the amendments upsetting what data controllers will have sought to put in place,” said the Commissioner allaying fears that the amendments are likely to disrupt efforts being made to comply with the new Act. She said the Commission will also be developing regulations to support the Act.
He warned that cyber security issues are also increasingly becoming a concern as more and more personal data is being stored on digital platforms. “Banking is one of the sectors that are very vulnerable to cyber security risk,” said Williams. Though the new Data Protection Act is expected to be fully implemented in the next four months, the Information and Data Commissioner, Kepaletswe Somolekae said the Act has some ‘serious gaps’ which are critical. She said the Act does not apply to the processing of personal data in the course of a purely personal or household activity and by or on behalf of the State where the processing involves national security, defence or public safety, for the prevention and investigation or proof of offences. In addition, the Act also does not apply to the processing of data for prosecution of offenders or the execution of sentences or security measures and for economic or financial interest, including monetary, budgetary and taxation matters. Somolekae said the Act will be amended before the end of the year, as the Commission is in the process of generating and collecting the necessary input from all stakeholders. “By end of the year, we will have the bill ready for November sitting,” said Somelekae. “We are only filling in the gaps, I don’t see the amendments upsetting what data controllers will have sought to put in place,” said the Commissioner allaying fears that the amendments are likely to disrupt efforts being made to comply with the new Act. She said the Commission will also be developing regulations to support the Act.
