South Africa considering privacy law

From the Independent Online:

IOL: New legislation to protect privacy:

Giving out or selling people's personal information could land you behind bars for 10 years. With the introduction of laws protecting personal information, the police will also be barred from seizing documents containing communication between a professional legal adviser and his client.

And, if the Protection of Personal Information Bill is passed by parliament, it will be against the law to insist on being given certain information such as a person's sexual orientation, age, or religion.

The bill will introduce new laws protecting the right to privacy and regulating the way in which information is gathered.

Earlier this year, after a request from the minister of justice and constitutional development to beef up laws relating to personal information, the South African Law Reform Commission released a discussion document and draft legislation.