'About two years ago, the SA Law Commission produced a report on data protection and recommended that legislation be passed in this country. That, however, has not yet occurred.'

Isaacs says that the security of confidential information is increasingly important as the quantity of data and its accessibility expands.

'Inevitably SA will have to enact data protection-specific legislation if it is to achieve a competitive space in the world economy.

"And it can be expected that corporations from our major trading partners will increasingly require assurances from South African entities that their confidential data will be subject to legal protection,' he adds.