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The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development  has extended the exemption which was to have lapsed on the 31st of December 2011. Private companies within certain sectors are now exempted from compiling and submitting information manuals in terms of section 51 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act to the South African Human Rights Commission until the 31st of December 2015.

http://www.sahrc.org.za/home/index.php?ipkContentID=70&ipkMenuID=51

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6 steps to drafting a Promotion of Access to Information Act Manual

1.   Copy the Section 51 Manual Template (Annexure B to this Advisory).

2.   Download "Annexure C (Annexure C: Form C: Request Form)" & "Annexure D (Annexure D: Schedule of Fees)". You will see that these must be hyperlinked to from the marked place in the Template.

3.   Go through the template and fill in the easy answers. Where the answers are not immediately apparent make a note of who you need to speak to in order to clarify these – usually your accountant can be of some assistance.

4.   Go through your information records, especially those to do with management, employment and employees, and make sure that you have specified these.

Remember that just because a business record has been specified it does not mean that you will have to make this information available to anyone who requests it if there are valid reasons for not doing so.

5.   Once you have completed a draft circulate a copy to all decision-makers in your business and ask if they have any comments.

6.   Once you are satisfied that the manual is complete then:

a. Place a copy on your web site. Create a link to it from the home page which is clearly noticeable to visitors to your site (preferably without the needs to scroll down on a page). You can call the link "Access to Information Manual" or "Section 51 Manual".

b. Send a copy to the PAIA unit of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC):

The South African Human Rights Commission:

PAIA Unit

The Research and Documentation Department

Postal address: Private Bag 2700, Houghton, 2041

Tel: +27.11.484.8300 | Fax: +27.11.484.0582

Web: http://www.sahrc.org.za | PAIA (at) sahrc.org.za

c. Keep a hard copy at your head office and other major places of business – it must be available for inspection during ordinary office hours.

d. If you are a member of an umbrella organisation (e.g. an industry representative body with a code of conduct which is binding on its members) then a copy has to be submitted to the controlling body.