Sadia Rizvi

Sadia began her career as a Candidate Legal Practitioner at Phukubje Pierce Masithela Attorneys.  She was appointed as an Associate in May 2022 and joined Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr in August 2024.  Sadia has a special interest in technology, media and telecommunications law.  She advised and represented major clients in the private and public sector.

• Conducting POPIA and GDPR gap assessments / personal information impact assessments for various public and private sector clients, conducting POPIA and departmental privacy training, drafting and reviewing privacy-related policies and contracts, preparing and filing data breach reports, registering of Information Officers and Deputy Information Officers, drafting legal advice and memoranda on the application of POPIA in various sectors.

• Drafting and reviewing of Promotion of Access to Information Act (“PAIA”) Manuals for public and private sector clients, drafting of PAIA guidelines for SITA, and advising on Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs).

• Drafting legal opinions and advisory memoranda on governance issues related to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa Act, 13 of 2000 (“the ICASA Act”); the Electronic Communications Act, 36 of 2005 (“the ECT Act”), and ICASA compliance-related matters for telecommunications companies.

• Assisted in representing a client at ICASA’s Complaints and Compliance Committee (CCC).

• Assisted in reviewing public procurement and public finance legislation regarding the development of bespoke IT Contract templates and toolkits for National Treasury, including training thereon.

• Assisted in due diligence audits and drafting of due diligence reports for major telecommunications companies. This entailed a review of various fibre agreements, including wholesale bitstream agreements, real estate and access agreements, FTTH and FTTB agreements, and the review of fibre wayleaves and fibre build plans.

• Drafting of an IT legislative framework for a JSE listed hospitality company.

• Assisted on matters dealing with complex licence issues, pertaining to radio frequency spectrum regulations, and various other aspects relating to the Electronic Communications Act, 36 of 2005.

• Management of trade mark portfolios for national and international clients, including successful registrations, maintenances and advising on trade mark selection, enforcement provisional refusal, protection, and litigation.

• General advice to clients on trade marks, copyright and other intellectual property-related matters.

• Advising a state entity on the application of the Intellectual Property Rights from Publicly Financed Research and Development Act, 51 of 2008.

• Advising a state entity on the application of the Intellectual Property Rights from Publicly Financed Research and Development Act, 51 of 2008.

• Drafting of pleadings for commercial and corporate litigation, including advisory memorandums.

• Drafting and reviewing various commercial agreements including the negotiation and implementation (shareholders agreements, sale of shares agreements, company memorandum of incorporation, commercial lease agreements, etc.).

• Provided guidance on advertising and marketing regulations, including guidelines and advertising standards, and the Code of Advertising Practice, including legal legal guidance on defamation issues, emerging technologies, issues relating to AI, personalised/targeting advertising and AI generated content, advising clients on the how to conduct social media promotional competitions in South Africa.