PROMOTION OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT 2 OF 2000

1 PROMOTION OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT 2 OF 2000 Page 1 of 70. PROMOTION OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT 2 OF 200012. [ASSENTED TO 2 FEBRUARY [DATE OF COMMENCEMENT: 9. 2000] MARCH 2001]. (Unless otherwise indicated). (English text signed by the President). published in GG 20852 of 3 February 2000. commencements (see s. 93 of this Act). provisions date refer to whole Act, except provisions listed 9 March 2001 Proc R20 in GG 22125 of 9 March 2001. below Proc R9 in GG 23119 of 15 February ss. 10, 14, 16 and 51 15 February 2002. 2002. as amended by with effect from refer to Financial Intelligence Centre Act 38 of s. 82 of Act 38 of 2001;. 3 February 2003. 2001 Proc 5 in GG 24349 of 31 January 2003. Judicial Matters Amendment Act 42 of 7 December 2001 s. 48 of Act 42 of 2001. 2001. PROMOTION of ACCESS to INFORMATION 15 January 2003 s. 3 of Act 54 of 2002. Amendment Act 54 of 2002.

2 S. 34 of Act 55 of 2003;. Judicial Matters Second Amendment 31 March 2005 Proc R13 in GG 27406 of 22 March Act 55 of 2003. 2005. Judicial Matters Amendment Act 66 of 17 February 2009 s. 40 of Act 66 of 2008. 2008. Judicial Matters Amendment Act 42 of 22 January 2014 s. 43 of Act 42 of 2013. 2013. Judicial Matters Amendment Act 24 of 8 January 2016 s. 23 of Act 24 of 2015. 2015. also amended by with effect from refer to a date to be http://juta/ 2016/12/02. PROMOTION OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT 2 OF 2000 Page 2 of 70. Protection of Personal INFORMATION Act proclaimed - see PENDLEX s. 115 of Act 4 of 2013. 4 of 2013. Regulations under this Act ACT. To give effect to the constitutional right of ACCESS to any INFORMATION held by the State and any INFORMATION that is held by another person and that is required for the exercise or protection of any rights; and to provide for matters connected therewith.

3 [NB: The long title has been substituted by s. 110 of the Protection of Personal INFORMATION Act 4 of 2013, a provision which will be put into operation by proclamation. See PENDLEX.]. Preamble RECOGNISING THAT- * the system of government in South Africa before 27 April 1994, amongst others, resulted in a secretive and unresponsive culture in public and private bodies which often led to an abuse of power and human rights violations;. * section 8 of the Constitution provides for the horizontal application of the rights in the Bill of Rights to juristic persons to the extent required by the nature of the rights and the nature of those juristic persons;. * section 32 (1) (a) of the Constitution provides that everyone has the right of ACCESS to any INFORMATION held by the State;. * section 32 (1) (b) of the Constitution provides for the horizontal application of the right of ACCESS to INFORMATION held by another person to everyone when that INFORMATION is required for the exercise or protection of any rights.

4 * and national legislation must be enacted to give effect to this right in section 32. of the Constitution;. AND BEARING IN MIND THAT- * the State must respect, protect, promote and fulfil, at least, all the rights in the Bill of Rights which is the cornerstone of democracy in South Africa;. * the right of ACCESS to any INFORMATION held by a public or private body may be limited to the extent that the limitations are reasonable and justifiable in an open and democratic society based on human dignity, equality and freedom as contemplated in section 36 of the Constitution;. * reasonable legislative measures may, in terms of section 32 (2) of the Constitution, be provided to alleviate the administrative and financial burden on the State in giving effect to its obligation to promote and fulfil the right of ACCESS to INFORMATION ;. AND IN ORDER TO- * foster a culture of transparency and accountability in public and private bodies by giving effect to the right of ACCESS to INFORMATION .

5 * actively promote a society in which the people of South Africa have effective ACCESS to INFORMATION to enable them to more fully exercise and protect all of their rights, BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, as follows:- CONTENTS OF ACT. Section PART 1. INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS. CHAPTER 1. DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION. http://juta/ 2016/12/02. PROMOTION OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT 2 OF 2000 Page 3 of 70. 1 Definitions 2 Interpretation of Act CHAPTER 2. GENERAL APPLICATION PROVISIONS. 3 Act applies to record whenever it came into existence 4 Records held by official or independent contractor of public or private body 5 Application of other legislation prohibiting or restricting disclosure 6 Application of other legislation providing for ACCESS 7 Act not applying to records requested for criminal or civil proceedings after commencement of proceedings [S.]

6 7 amended by s. 20 of Act 42 of 2001 (wef 7 December 2001).]. 8 Part applicable when performing functions as public or private body CHAPTER 3. GENERAL INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS. 9 Objects of Act 10 Guide on how to use Act PART 2. ACCESS TO RECORDS OF PUBLIC BODIES. CHAPTER 1. RIGHT OF ACCESS , AND SPECIFIC APPLICATION PROVISIONS. 11 Right of ACCESS to records of public bodies 12 Act not applying to certain public bodies or officials thereof 13 Body determined to be part of another public body CHAPTER 2. PUBLICATION AND AVAILABILITY OF CERTAIN RECORDS. 14 Manual on functions of, and index of records held by, public body 15 Voluntary disclosure and automatic availability of certain records 16 INFORMATION in telephone directory CHAPTER 3. MANNER OF ACCESS . 17 Designation of deputy INFORMATION officers, and delegation 18 Form of requests 19 Duty to assist requesters 20 Transfer of requests 21 Preservation of records until final decision on request 22 Fees 23 Records that cannot be found or do not exist 24 Deferral of ACCESS 25 Decision on request and notice thereof 26 Extension of period to deal with request 27 Deemed refusal of request 28 Severability 29 ACCESS and forms of ACCESS 30 ACCESS to health or other records 31 Language of ACCESS http://juta/ 2016/12/02.

7 PROMOTION OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT 2 OF 2000 Page 4 of 70. 32 Reports to Human Rights Commission CHAPTER 4. GROUNDS FOR REFUSAL OF ACCESS TO RECORDS. 33 Interpretation 34 Mandatory protection of privacy of third party who is natural person 35 Mandatory protection of certain records of South African Revenue Service 36 Mandatory protection of commercial INFORMATION of third party 37 Mandatory protection of certain confidential INFORMATION , and protection of certain other confidential INFORMATION , of third party 38 Mandatory protection of safety of individuals, and protection of property 39 Mandatory protection of police dockets in bail proceedings, and protection of law enforcement and legal proceedings 40 Mandatory protection of records privileged from production in legal proceedings 41 Defence, security and international relations of Republic 42 Economic interests and financial welfare of Republic and commercial activities of public bodies 43 Mandatory protection of research INFORMATION of third party, and protection of research INFORMATION of public body 44 Operations of public bodies 45 Manifestly frivolous or vexatious requests, or substantial and unreasonable diversion of resources 46 Mandatory disclosure in public interest CHAPTER 5.

8 THIRD PARTY NOTIFICATION AND INTERVENTION. 47 Notice to third parties 48 Representations and consent by third parties 49 Decision on representations for refusal and notice thereof PART 3. ACCESS TO RECORDS OF PRIVATE BODIES. CHAPTER 1. RIGHT OF ACCESS . 50 Right of ACCESS to records of private bodies CHAPTER 2. PUBLICATION AND AVAILABILITY OF CERTAIN RECORDS. 51 Manual 52 Voluntary disclosure and automatic availability of certain records CHAPTER 3. MANNER OF ACCESS . 53 Form of request 54 Fees 55 Records that cannot be found or do not exist 56 Decision on request and notice thereof 57 Extension of period to deal with request 58 Deemed refusal of request 59 Severability http://juta/ 2016/12/02. PROMOTION OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT 2 OF 2000 Page 5 of 70. 60 Form of ACCESS 61 ACCESS to health or other records CHAPTER 4. GROUNDS FOR REFUSAL OF ACCESS TO RECORDS.

9 62 Interpretation 63 Mandatory protection of privacy of third party who is natural person 64 Mandatory protection of commercial INFORMATION of third party 65 Mandatory protection of certain confidential INFORMATION of third party 66 Mandatory protection of safety of individuals, and protection of property 67 Mandatory protection of records privileged from production in legal proceedings 68 Commercial INFORMATION of private body 69 Mandatory protection of research INFORMATION of third party, and protection of research INFORMATION of private body 70 Mandatory disclosure in public interest CHAPTER 5. THIRD PARTY NOTIFICATION AND INTERVENTION. 71 Notice to third parties 72 Representations and consent by third parties 73 Decision on representations for refusal and notice thereof PART 4. APPEALS AGAINST DECISIONS. CHAPTER 1. INTERNAL APPEALS AGAINST DECISIONS OF INFORMATION OFFICERS OF CERTAIN.

10 PUBLIC BODIES. 74 Right of internal appeal to relevant authority 75 Manner of internal appeal, and appeal fees 76 Notice to and representations by other interested parties 77 Decision on internal appeal and notice thereof CHAPTER 2. APPLICATIONS TO COURT. 78 Applications regarding decisions of INFORMATION officers or relevant authorities of public bodies or heads of private bodies 79 Procedure 80 Disclosure of records to, and non-disclosure by, court 81 Proceedings are civil 82 Decision on application PART 5. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. 83 Additional functions of Human Rights Commission 84 Report to National Assembly by Human Rights Commission 85 Expenditure of Human Rights Commission in terms of Act PART 6. TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS. 86 Application of other legislation providing for ACCESS 87 Extended periods for dealing with requests during first two years http://juta/ 2016/12/02.