In 2000, the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (Act No. 2 of 2000) (“PAIA”) was passed into law. This Act allows members of the public to know who they are dealing with in Government Departments and entities, as well as all businesses and private bodies.
All businesses and companies must now have a so-called PAIA Manual in terms of section 51 of PAIA, the implementation of which had been deferred for some time. Some companies are still exempted, however, all private companies that have more than 50 employees, or have a turn-over in excess of e.g. R 6 million for Agriculture, R 30 million for Manufacturing, and R 15 million for Catering, Accommodation and other Trades, must now publish a section 51 Manual and also comply with the remainder of the provisions of the Act. Exemptions for some businesses were granted until December 2020 to submit their manuals to the SA Human Rights Council, however, even if you qualify for an extension on the submission date, you still need to have a valid PAIA Manual available on request.
This means all businesses need to have one. We are able to assist you in preparing such a Manual, and in the event that you require us to do so, we will prepare a Draft Manual for your consideration. Once the manual has been completed, we will submit it to the SA Human Rights Council and the Department of Justice for consideration and publication.
If you would like further information in this regard or would like our assistance with a PAIA Manual, please do not hesitate to contact McCarthy & Associates on (033) 266 6170 or admin@mccarthylaw.co.za.