Metrofile is to host a series of seminars in April to help companies understand the severe implications of non-compliance with the requirements of legislation in SA governing the storage and retrieval of information.
Paul Mullon, marketing director of Metrofile, says penalties for non-conformance can be severe - a fine of up to R10 million or a jail term.
Advocate Willem Heath, one of the speakers at the seminars, says: "Directors of companies who act recklessly and do not take steps to be compliant with the new information laws may be personally liable to shareholders and others."
Heath, most famous for convening the Heath Special Investigation Unit`s inquiry into government corruption, maladministration, fraud, theft and misappropriation of state assets, will discuss the implications of the King II report on Corporate Governance with a focus on its recommendations for storage, access and availability of business records.
Reinhardt Buys from Buys Attorneys, which specialises in the ECT Act and associated fields, has an intimate understanding of the digital communications field, and will provide a clearer view of the ECT Act, discussing duties, penalties and implications.
Mullon, with 18 years` experience in IT and document and records management, will provide guidance for establishing a total records strategy. In Cape Town, Thaaniya Isaacs of Ernst & Young will explain some of the business aspects of the legislation.
Mullon says: "Business must look at how to get value from their documents by storing them in a cost-effective fashion and being able to retrieve them quickly for improved customer service. Now that they have to comply with the laws, companies must spend this money wisely and get value from the information in their business."
The laws that impact on document management and storage include:
* The King II Report on Corporate Governance
* The Electronic Communications and Transactions Bill
* The Promotion of Access to Information Act (PROATIA)
* The Financial Intelligence Services Bill
* The Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Bill
* Income tax legislation (eg use of electronic invoices)
* New labour legislation
* The South African Constitution.
The seminar, entitled "Best Practices in Document and Records Compliance", will be held on 1 April in Durban at the Hilton Hotel, 12-14 Walnut Road; on 2 April in Johannesburg, at the Sandton Convention Centre, Maude Street, Sandton; and on 3 April in Cape Town, at the Sanlam Convention Centre, 2 Strand St, Bellville. The event begins at 2pm, with registration from 1.30pm. The cost is R600 + VAT per delegate, with a 10% discount for three or more attendees.
For more details and to register online, go to http://www.metrofile.co.za/events/. For further information, e-mail events@metrofile.co.za
Enquiries should be addressed to Shanitha Ramsurran in Durban on (031) 716-6500, Michelle Vrey in Johannesburg on (011) 458-6300 and Dawn Alexander in Cape Town on (021) 380-8900.
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