SAICA reminds all private bodies to prepare a PAIA manual
The exemption for private companies with less than 50 employees or with a turnover less than the amounts stipulated in the Schedules to PAIA came to an end on 31 December 2021.
The Act applies to persons, companies or other types of juristic entities that carry on a trade, business, or profession, including a political party; inclusive of a person providing services from their home or a small business in the form of a sole proprietor, company, close corporation or trust. Therefore, any person carrying on a business as a sole proprietor or in a juristic entity must prepare a PAIA manual. The manual provides guidelines on the processes to be taken when a request for information is made, the associated costs thereof, the type of information that is available, and contact details of the relevant information officers, amongst others.
Additionally, the PAIA manual should integrate the Protection of Personal Information Act by outlining; the purpose for the processing of information; a description of the categories of data subjects and of the information or categories of information relating thereto; the recipients or categories of recipients to whom the personal information may be supplied; planned transborder flows of personal information; and, a general description allowing a preliminary assessment of the suitability of the information security measures to be implemented by the responsible party to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the information which is to be processed.
Private entities are required to publish a regularly updated PAIA manual on their websites (if available) and ensure its accessibility at its principal place of business for inspection during normal business hours. The manual should be provided to any person who asks for it, including the Information Regulator when required.
For more information on how to use the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000, visit...
About SAICA
The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), South Africa’s pre-eminent accountancy body, is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading accounting institutes. The Institute provides a wide range of support services to more than 50 000 members and associates who are chartered accountants (CAs[SA]), as well as associate general accountants (AGAs[SA]) and accounting technicians (ATs[SA]), who hold positions as CEOs, MDs, board directors, business owners, chief financial officers, auditors and leaders in every sphere of commerce and industry, and who play a significant role in the nation’s highly dynamic business sector and economic development.
Chartered Accountants are highly valued for their versatile skill set and creative lateral thinking, that's why all of the top 100 Global Brands employ Chartered Accountants.
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SAICA Brand Division
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