South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA)
The Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA) gives effect to the constitutional right of access to information held by the state and private bodies. It establishes voluntary and mandatory grounds for disclosure, sets out procedures for requesting information, and defines exemptions. Administered by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and the Information Regulator.
South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) is a compliance framework from South Africa with 11 domains and 23 controls that map to 71 other frameworks. The largest domains are Request Handling, Fees and Forms (5 controls), Grounds for Refusal and Third Parties (3 controls), Information Officer, Manual and Training (3 controls). Every control below carries what it requires and what an assessor expects to see.
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Framework Domains (11)
Appeals and Personal Information Requests
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| PAIA-INT-07 | Internal appeal mechanism |
| PAIA-PRV-11 | Personal information requests by data subjects |
Cooperation
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| SAPAIA-4 | Information Regulator Cooperation and Appeals |
Exemptions
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| SAPAIA-3 | Exemptions, Grounds for Refusal |
Grounds for Refusal and Third Parties
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| PAIA-3P-06 | Third party notification and intervention |
| PAIA-COM-12 | Mandatory disclosure where public interest overrides exemption |
| PAIA-GRD-05 | Mandatory and discretionary grounds for refusal |
Information Officer, Manual and Training
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| PAIA-IO-01 | Designation of Information Officer |
| PAIA-MAN-02 | PAIA manual under section 51 |
| PAIA-TRG-09 | Staff training on PAIA |
Manuals
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| SAPAIA-1 | PAIA Manuals for Public and Private Bodies |
Objects of the Act and Guides
Records Management and Proactive Disclosure
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| PAIA-EXT-17 | Voluntary disclosure and proactive publication |
| PAIA-REC-10 | Records management |
Reporting and Self Assessment
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| PAIA-AUD-16 | Information Officer audit and self assessment |
| PAIA-RPT-08 | Annual report to Information Regulator |
Request Handling, Fees and Forms
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| PAIA-FEE-04 | Fees for access |
| PAIA-FRM-13 | Forms and prescribed format compliance |
| PAIA-FRV-15 | Frivolous or vexatious requests |
| PAIA-REQ-03 | Request handling procedure |
| PAIA-SEV-14 | Severability and partial access |
Right of Access
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| SAPAIA-2 | Right of Access and Request Processes |
Your Compliance Coverage
If you comply with South Africa Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), you already cover:
SASB Standards
13%
3 controls mapped
Compare →ISO/IEC 38500:2024 - Governance of IT
9%
2 controls mapped
Compare →UK Open Banking Standard
9%
2 controls mapped
Compare →+ 68 more: ITU-T X.805 - Security Architecture for End-to-End Communications (9%), NIST Privacy Framework (9%)
See all 71 mapped frameworks ↓Maps to 71 other frameworks
What 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 11 domains and 23 controls. The Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA) gives effect to the constitutional right of access to information held by the state and private bodies. It establishes voluntary and mandatory grounds for disclosure, sets out procedures for requesting information, and defines exemptions. Administered by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and the Information Regulator. 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 23 controls organised across 11 domains. The largest domains are Request Handling, Fees and Forms (5 controls), Grounds for Refusal and Third Parties (3 controls), Information Officer, Manual and Training (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 71 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are SASB Standards (13% coverage), ISO/IEC 38500:2024 - Governance of IT (9% coverage), UK Open Banking Standard (9% 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 23 controls and track your progress.
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