South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA)
South Africa's Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA): what public bodies, private bodies (every business, partnership and company, and political parties) and their information officers must do to give access to records: the section 14 and section 51 PAIA manuals with their POPIA content, request handling within 30 days, prescribed fees, refusal grounds and the public interest override, third-party notice, internal appeals, and responding to the Information Regulator, which has overseen PAIA since 30 June 2021. Built from the Act as consolidated at 30 June 2021 and the 2021 Regulations, read in full.
South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) is a compliance framework from South Africa with 4 domains and 27 controls that map to 66 other frameworks. The largest domains are Part 2: access to records of public bodies – South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) (12 controls), Part 3: access to records of private bodies – South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) (11 controls), Duties applying to all bodies – South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) (3 controls). Every control below carries what it requires and what an assessor expects to see.
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Framework Domains (4)
Duties applying to all bodies – South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::reg3 | reg. 3 Keep the Regulator's PAIA guide available at head office and give copies free |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s77I-K | ss.77E, 77H, 77I, 77J, 77K, 83(4), (5); regs 11, 14 Respond to the Information Regulator's complaints, assessments, information notices and enforcement notices |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s90(1) | s.90(1); s.21 Never destroy, conceal, alter or falsify a record to defeat access, and preserve requested records |
Part 2: access to records of public bodies – South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s14 | s.14; s.90(2) Publish and annually update the public body's PAIA manual, including the POPIA items |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s15 | s.15; reg. 4 Describe the records automatically available without a request |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s17 | s.17 Designate enough deputy information officers and delegate in writing |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s18-20 | ss.18 to 20; reg. 7 Accept requests, assist requesters and transfer misdirected requests within 14 days |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s22 | s.22; reg. 8; Annexure B Charge only the prescribed public body fees, with the required notices |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s23 | s.23 Confirm by affidavit when a record cannot be found or does not exist |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s24-27 | ss.24 to 27 Decide within 30 days, extend once with reasons, and give full notices |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s28-31 | ss.28 to 31 Sever refusable parts, give access in the requested form and language, and accommodate disability |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s32 | s.32 Report PAIA request statistics to the Information Regulator annually |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s33-45 | ss.33 to 45 Refuse only on the Act's grounds, distinguishing mandatory from discretionary refusals |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s46 | s.46 Disclose despite a refusal ground where the public interest override applies |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s47-49 | ss.47 to 49 Notify affected third parties within 21 days and decide within 30 days of notice |
Part 3: access to records of private bodies – South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s51 | s.51; s.90(3) Compile, regularly update and publish the section 51 PAIA manual, including the POPIA items |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s52 | s.52; reg. 5 If records are made automatically available, describe them and file the description with the Regulator |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s52A | s.52A; reg. 6 Political parties: record, publish quarterly and keep donation records for five years |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s53 | ss.50, 53; reg. 7 Accept requests for records needed to exercise or protect rights, and help requesters |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s54 | s.54; regs 8, 16; Annexure B Charge only the prescribed private body fees, with the required notices |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s55 | s.55 Confirm by affidavit when a record cannot be found or does not exist |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s56-58 | ss.56 to 58 Decide within 30 days, extend once with reasons, and give full notices |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s59-61 | ss.59 to 61 Sever refusable parts, give access in the reasonably required form, and handle health records carefully |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s62-69 | ss.62 to 69 Refuse only on the Act's private body grounds |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s70 | s.70 Disclose despite a refusal ground where the public interest override applies |
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s71-73 | ss.71 to 73 Notify affected third parties within 21 days and decide within 30 days of notice |
Part 4: internal appeals, complaints to the Information Regulator and enforcement – South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| south-africa-promotion-of-access-to-information-act-paia::s74-77 | ss.74 to 77; reg. 9 Process internal appeals in national and provincial public bodies within the statutory periods |
Your Compliance Coverage
If you comply with South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), you already cover:
SASB Standards
6%
3 controls mapped
Compare →UK Open Banking Standard
4%
2 controls mapped
Compare →UK AI Regulation Framework
4%
2 controls mapped
Compare →+ 63 more: NIST Privacy Framework (4%), ITU-T X.805 - Security Architecture for End-to-End Communications (4%)
See all 66 mapped frameworks ↓Maps to 66 other frameworks
Coverage is not the same as your position
This page shows what South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) overlaps with in general. Where your organisation actually stands, against the standard you are going for and the certifications you already hold, is a different question. Same graph and the same recorded refutations, scoped to you rather than to a pair.
The Compliance Position Diagnostic, $5,000 fixed, ten business daysWhat is South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) and who does it apply to?
South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) is a compliance framework from South Africa with 4 domains and 27 controls. South Africa's Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA): what public bodies, private bodies (every business, partnership and company, and political parties) and their information officers must do to give access to records: the section 14 and section 51 PAIA manuals with their POPIA content, request handling within 30 days, prescribed fees, refusal grounds and the public interest override, third-party notice, internal appeals, and responding to the Information Regulator, which has overseen PAIA since 30 June 2021. Built from the Act as consolidated at 30 June 2021 and the 2021 Regulations, read in full. It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
What does South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) actually require?
South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) has 27 controls organised across 4 domains. The largest domains are Part 2: access to records of public bodies – South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) (12 controls), Part 3: access to records of private bodies – South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) (11 controls), Duties applying to all bodies – South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) (3 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.
If I already comply with another framework, how much of South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) do I already cover?
South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) maps to 66 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are SASB Standards (6% coverage), UK Open Banking Standard (4% coverage), UK AI Regulation Framework (4% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.
How do I implement South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA)?
Start your South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) compliance journey by running a self-assessment on our platform to identify your current compliance posture. Our AI advisory can answer specific questions about South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) requirements, and cross-framework mapping helps you leverage existing controls from other frameworks you may already comply with. Create a free account to access all 27 controls and track your progress.
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