Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (Act No. 2 of 2000)

Term

Definition/Description

1.

Access fee

Fee payable by a requester for search, preparation and reproduction of requested records, as prescribed in PAIA section 22(6).

2.

Act

The Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (Act No. 2 of 2000). Also referred to as the PAIA or "the Act".

3.

Department

The Department of Human Settlements. Also referred to as the DHS.

4.

Deputy Information Officer (DIO)

A person designated by the Director-General to render the public body as accessible as reasonably possible for requesters of its records as prescribed in PAIA section 17(1).

5.

Guide

Document or book produced by the South African Human Rights Commission for the purposes of assisting any person who wishes to exercise any right in terms of the PAIA as prescribed in section 10.

6.

Information Officer (IO)

The Director-General of the Department of Human Settlements as defined in PAIA section 1.

7.

Internal appeal

An appeal against a decision to refuse access to information, as stipulated in PAIA section 74.

8.

Personal information

Information about an identifiable individual, including, but not limited to, information relating to race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, national, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental health, wellbeing, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth of the individual as defined in PAIA section 1.

9.

Personal requester

A person seeking access to information/records containing personal information about himself/herself as defined in PAIA section 1.

10.

Public body

Any department of state or administration in the national or provincial sphere of government, any municipality in the local sphere of government or any institution performing a public function in terms of any legislation as defined in PAIA section 1.

Also referred to as government body or department.

11.

Record

Any recorded information, in any form or medium under the custody of DHS as defined in PAIA section 1.

12.

Records automatically available

Records that can be accessed without a person having to request access in terms of the Act as stipulated in section 15(1)(a) of PAIA.

13.

Records available on request

Records that can be accessed through following PAIA processes as stipulated in PAIA sections 11 and 18; access to these records may be refused on the basis of sections 33 to 45 of the Act.

14.

Relevant authority

Minister of Human Settlements or the person designated in writing by the Minister to deal with internal appeals as defined in PAIA section 1.

15.

Request fee

A non-refundable fee payable by a requester when submitting a request for access as per the provisions of PAIA section 22(1). (Personal requester excluded from paying request fee).

16.

Request for access

A request for access to a record or records held by the Department made in accordance with PAIA sections 8 and 11.

17.

Requester

Any person making a request for access to information or records of DHS or a person acting on behalf of the person requesting information as defined in PAIA section 1.

18.

Third party

Any person, including, but not limited to, the government of a foreign state, an international organisation or an organ of that government or organisation other than the requester concerned and a public body as defined in PAIA section 1.

19.

Working days

Any days other than Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays as defined in PAIA section 1.