PAIA Manual Deadline Still Looming For Some

The Promotion of Access to Information Act, No 2 of 2000 ("PAIA") requires all private and public bodies to prepare a manual that will set out the categories of records that they will hold and the way in which those records may be accessed and dealt with generally and specifically. Once compiled, a copy of the manual must be filed with the Commission for Human Rights. This has been considered by most within South Africa to be a burdensome task, particularly for smaller entities.

There is however hope for some in that certain exceptions apply to whether or not your origination is required to prepare and hold a PAIA manual. The Justice Minister has recently gazetted a notice wherein certain exemptions will apply to most organisations from having to compile a PAIA manual. However, together with the potentially favourable exemption which may apply to some originations, a deadline has been extended until 30 June 2021 for those originations for which the PAIA manual is