Access to Information

Access to Information is regulated by law in many countries around the world. For example, the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA, or PAI Act) in South Africa. It is crucial to strike a balance between this critical right and the right to privacy. Read our insights, regulatory updates, judgment summaries, enforcement action (including fines and notes), data breaches or authority guidance.

JSE enforcement action | Access to share trading information

The Information Regulator has issued a PAIA enforcement notice against the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) after it refused to grant access to share trading records. This JSE enforcement action requires the JSE to notify affected third parties and reconsider whether […]

By |2026-02-12T11:36:25+02:00February 2nd, 2026|Categories: Access to Information, POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , , , , , |
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The law in 2026 – our predictions

Welcome to the law in 2026! At the beginning of each year, we look ahead to help you prioritise your next steps. This is the law regarding digital, data and tech in 2026. We try to predict what will happen [...]

By |2026-02-02T10:22:10+02:00January 25th, 2026|Categories: Access to Information, AI Governance, Cybersecurity Law, IT Law, Life@Law, POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , |
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Lessons to learn from the Information Regulator priotities

Understanding the Information Regulator's priorities is no longer just good practice; it's essential to avoid enforcement action. Having attended the Regulator's recent stakeholder breakfast, we can distil the key lessons and confirmed changes that will shape the compliance landscape in […]

By |2026-02-12T15:28:56+02:00December 3rd, 2025|Categories: Access to Information, POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , , , , |
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Information Regulator stakeholder engagement in Cape Town

The Information Regulator stakeholder engagement revealed the regulator's thinking on how to comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA). More importantly, the regulator confirmed expected amendments to the POPIA [...]

By |2025-12-03T14:07:58+02:00December 2nd, 2025|Categories: Access to Information, POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , , , , |
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RTMC enforcement action | PAIA criminal prosecution

The Information Regulator took enforcement action against the RTMC after the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) requested access to records that the RTMC refused to release. The regulator issued an enforcement notice setting aside RTMC’s decision, but RTMC did not […]

By |2026-02-12T15:03:14+02:00November 9th, 2025|Categories: Access to Information|Tags: , , , , , |
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Important Notice: Non-Compliance with PAIA Forms

Did you receive an email from the Information Regulator with the title "Important Notice: Non-Compliance with PAIA Forms"? Don't panic; it doesn't necessarily mean that you are specifically non-compliant, and there are simple actions you can take to check whether [...]

By |2025-09-22T16:30:42+02:00August 31st, 2025|Categories: Access to Information|Tags: , , , |
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PAIA section 32 report for public bodies | PAIA annual report

The information officer of every public body in South Africa must submit a PAIA section 32 report to the Information Regulator annually. Section 32 of PAIA makes it compulsory - a regulatory requirement. PAIA gives effect to section 32 [...]

By |2025-08-14T16:31:50+02:00July 18th, 2025|Categories: Access to Information|Tags: , , , |
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Ask the Regulators: Support for PAIA compliance, e-Services and BizPortal

Today, the South African information regulator held a webinar called "Ask the Regulator". The purpose of the webinar was to allow participants to ask the regulator questions and for the regulator to encourage and support them in complying with POPIA […]

By |2026-02-12T15:50:58+02:00June 19th, 2025|Categories: Access to Information, POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , , , , , |
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Information regulator annual performance plan for 2025 to 2026 APP

The information regulator has presented its draft annual performance plan (regulator APP) for 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. It has presented them in different formats to different audiences. For example, the regulator held a stakeholder engagement on 5 [...]

By |2025-03-26T11:52:16+02:00March 5th, 2025|Categories: Access to Information, POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , |
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Access to Information Manual | Draft or review

Do you need an Access to Information manual? What is it anyway? The Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) says that all public and private bodies in South Africa need to create a manual that contains, amongst other things: [...]

By |2025-09-09T20:13:45+02:00February 18th, 2025|Categories: Access to Information|Tags: , |
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PAIA compliance assessments by information regulator

South Africa’s Information Regulator conducts PAIA compliance assessments on public and private bodies in terms of section 77H of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA). PAIA plays a crucial role in an organisation's transparency and accountability to the [...]

By |2025-03-04T14:40:18+02:00February 12th, 2025|Categories: Access to Information|Tags: , , , , |
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Navigating AI Governance in South African Law: An Overview

Building AI without legal guidance is like constructing a bridge without blueprints—it might stand for a while, but it's destined to collapse. As AI continues to rapidly integrate into the South African business environment, aligning it and its use [...]

By |2026-02-10T14:52:49+02:00September 30th, 2024|Categories: Access to Information, AI Governance, Cybercrime, Data governance, POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , , , |
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