NEWS
Datacentrix receives Project of the Year Award
Year Award from Veeam® Software, the
Availability for the Always-On Enterprise™
innovator.
From left: Marius Redelelinghuys, Solution
Architect at Datacentrix; Lisa Strydom,
Channel Manager Lead at Veeam; Tony de
Sousa, Business Unit Manager (Enterprise)
at Datacentrix; and Claude Schuck, Regional
Manager (Africa) at Veeam
D
atacentrix, a provider of high performing
and secure ICT solutions, has received
the 2017 Most Significant Project of the
It recognises South African Veeam
ProPartners and Veeam Cloud & Service
Provider (VCSP) partners who have not only
demonstrated success in providing Veeam
Availability solutions to their customers, but
who have also provided first-class support,
expert knowledge, continued product
education and a true Veeam strategy
incorporated into their business.
“Datacentrix is most pleased to have reaped
the reward of our dedication to Veeam and
its excellent ‘always-on’ solutions offering,
as a Silver Service Provider and also as one of
the company’s first local Platinum Resellers,”
said Tony de Sousa, Business Unit Manager,
Enterprise at Datacentrix.
“We look forward to maintaining this
partnership into the future, growing it from
strength to strength as the two companies
mutually assist local businesses on their
digital transformation journey.”
Lisa Strydom, Channel Manager Lead at
Veeam, added: “We value our partnership
with Datacentrix as an example of a true
collaboration, driving towards mutual
success. We consider our partners as a true
extension of our Veeam team, enabling us
to provide Veeam Availability solutions to
our joint customers, empowering them to
stay operational and meet the increasing
demands of our digital world.”
/////////////////
Protecting privacy and personal data key to
digital economy in Africa
T
he Internet Society and the African
Union Commission unveiled a new set of
guidelines at the Africa Internet Summit in
Dakar, Senegal, that highlight how privacy
protection and the responsible use of
personal data are critical factors in building
greater trust online and in advancing the
digital economy.
The guidelines recommend a range of
actions for governments, policy makers,
citizens and other stakeholders to take at
the regional, national, organisational and
individual level.
Among the key recommendations for
governments is that they should respect and
protect individuals’ rights to privacy online
and offline.
“Recent global events have showed us
that the lack of appropriate protection for
personal data can have a profound impact
not just on individuals but also on society
at large, to the point of endangering
democratic systems,” said Dawit Bekele,
African Regional Bureau Director for the
Internet Society.
“These guidelines explain how people can
take a more active role in the protection of
www.intelligentcio.com
their own data as well as the role that other
stakeholders, including governments and
legislators, have in ensuring the proper use
of data.”
Two key principles of the guidelines urge
all AU Member States to recognise privacy
as a foundation for trust in the digital
environment and prioritise the sustainable
and responsible use of personal data in the
digital economy.
of agreements they make when they sign
up for ‘free’services or use social media
platforms that may profit off their data
• Understand and exercise their rights, and
act, when needed
• There is a corresponding role for
governments to empower individuals to
do so by ensuring citizens know how to
exercise their rights under privacy and
personal data protection laws
• Develop their capabilities to protect their
interests online. Supervisory authorities
and governments should take steps to
ensure that service-providers and product
vendors are transparent about their
business models and product capabilities,
so consumers can make informed
choices about the privacy implications of
products and services
In addition, there are recommendations for
citizens who are concerned about their data
and privacy including: “The Malabo Convention is the first step
towards developing national legislative
frameworks for cybersecurity and data
protection in Africa,” said Moctar Yedaly,
Head of Information Society Division,
African Union Commission.
• Using the Internet and other sources to
inform themselves about the risks and
benefits of the digital economy or their
online activities. This includes being aware “The guidelines provide a path forward for
the member states that have signed the
convention and hopefully encourage more
countries to join.”
INTELLIGENTCIO
7