POPIA for Employees

POPIA for Employees teaches staff how to handle other people's information correctly in their everyday work: what counts as personal information, how to send, store and share it safely, and what to do the moment something goes wrong. It takes about 30 minutes across seven short modules.

Who it's for: every employee who sees customer, supplier or staff information — which, in practice, is almost everyone. No legal background needed.

How it works:

• Seven modules of 3–6 minutes each, with a short knowledge check after each one.
• One short video introduces the course.
• A 15-question final assessment. Pass mark 80% (12 of 15). Unlimited retries.
• On passing, you receive a certificate and your employer's training register is updated. This register is part of the evidence your employer keeps to show it has taken reasonable steps to protect personal information.

By the end you will be able to:

1. Explain what POPIA is and why it applies to your job.
2. Recognise personal information and the extra-sensitive "special" categories.
3. Apply the eight conditions of POPIA to everyday tasks.
4. Send, store, share and delete personal information safely, including on email and WhatsApp.
5. Spot a security compromise — including a simple misdirected email — and report it immediately.
6. Point people to the right person when they ask what information the company holds about them.

The four rules to remember: Only collect what you need. Only use it for the reason it was collected. Keep it locked down. Report mistakes immediately — don't hide them.

This course is general training, not legal advice. Always follow your employer's own POPIA policies and ask your Information Officer if you're unsure.