PAIA/POPIA

Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA)

The Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000, (PAIA) gives effect to section 32 of the Constitution of , which provides that everyone has the right to access information held by the State, as well as information held by another person (or private body) when such privately-held information is required for the exercise and protection of rights. 

PAIA aims to underline the importance of access to information in a democratic society by fostering a culture of transparency and accountability. PAIA does this by requiring public (government) and private (non-government) bodies to create both a manual describing the type of records they hold, and procedures for others to access that information. 

Protection Of Personal Information Act (POPIA)

The Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 gives effect to the right to privacy which is guaranteed  by Section 14 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. 

The Act aims to promote the protection of personal information processed by public and private bodies and introduces  the conditions of lawful processing so as to establish minimum requirements when  personal information is processed. The Act provides for the establishment of an Information Regulator to exercise certain powers and to perform certain duties and functions in terms of this Act and the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000.