The Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) has completed the process of developing a POPIA Compliance Framework for Research, following extensive consultation and engagement with the research community. Initially conceived as a formal Code of Conduct under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), the initiative was adapted into a voluntary Framework to provide broader applicability and greater flexibility across diverse research contexts.
ASSAf convened multiple national stakeholder events attended by scientists and researchers from a wide range of disciplines, and established both a Steering Committee and a Drafting Committee to guide and develop the content. The final Framework serves as a practical resource to support ethical and lawful processing of personal information in research, and is freely available for use by all researchers and institutions in South Africa.
Members of Committees
Events and Meetings
11 November 2024
Webinar on the ASSAf POPIA Compliance Framework for Research
Invitation
Invitation background
Compliance Framework
Invitation to comment
Link to Recording
18 May 2021
ASSAf and NHREC POPIA Stakeholder Engagement with the RECS
Invitation and Programme
Link to Presentations
Link to Recording
3 May 2021
POPIA Public Consultation Forum
Invitation and Programme
Link to Presentations
Link to Recordings
10 December 2020
POPIA Session at SFSA
Invitation and Programme
Link to recording
21 October 2020
Virtual Forum Meeting
Invitation and Programme
Link to recording
Notifications and Documents
ASSAf POPIA Research Framework – Infographic – 9 July 2025
ASSAf Communication to Stakeholders regarding the Framework – February 2024
ASSAf Update on the Code of Conduct for Research to Stakeholders – 14 December 2023
ASSAf Communication to Stakeholders – 26 April 2023
ASSAf POPIA Code of Conduct for Research – 26 April 2023
Draft POPIA Code of Conduct for Research for public comment – 22 September 2022
Announcement of progress on the POPIA Code of Conduct for Research and Call for Submissions of Issues to be addressed by the Code – Call closed on 12 February 2021 – 28 January 2021
Discussion Document https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2021/10933 – 03 May 2021
Commentary https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2021/10935 – 28 May 2021
Letter of thanks – 07 June 2021
ASSAf Update on the Code of Conduct for Research to Stakeholders – 13 December 2021
ASSAf Update on the Code of Conduct for Research to Stakeholder – 21 February 2022
Resources on Research Data Management
- https://www.uwe.ac.uk/study/library/research-support/manage-your-research-data/planning-your-project/create-a-data-management-plan#note4
- https://www.surrey.ac.uk/library/open-research/data-management-plans
- https://dmp.wur.nl/public_plans
- https://zenodo.org/record/7233370#.Y5oETexBxAc
- https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/other/gm/reporting/h2020-tpl-oa-data-mgt-plan-annotated_en.pdf
- https://library.educause.edu/resources/2020/4/higher-education-community-vendor-assessment-toolkit
- RDM Reading List
USAf Code of Conduct
Link to USAf Code of Conduct
Contact Details
Susan Veldsman
Director: Scholarly Publishing Programme, ASSAf
Email: susan@assaf.org.za
Mmaphuthi Rametse
Senior Project Officer: Scholarly Publishing Programme, ASSAf
Email: mmaphuthi@assaf.org.za