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.

Mani v The Information Officer Mintek

In Mani v The Information Officer Mintek, Mani made a request to the Information officer of Mintek in terms of PAIA to determine the source of an email containing defamatory information about her. The court ordered Mintek to provide [...]

By |2022-12-19T11:51:03+02:00January 22nd, 2021|Categories: Access to Information|Tags: , , |
Read More

Data protection audit by an authority | GDPR audit

Data protection authorities around the world have started to do a data protection audit (or GDPR audit) on controllers to check that they comply with data protection law. Essentially, the authority compares your organisation to a data protection law that [...]

By |2022-11-08T07:39:18+02:00September 27th, 2019|Categories: Access to Information, Information Law, POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , , , |
Read More

Access to information and data protection in elections

We need free and fair elections in order for democracy to work. Two key aspects of ensuring that the people's voice is heard is access to information (transparency or shining a light on the process) and data protection (processing [...]

By |2024-02-21T13:52:53+02:00April 16th, 2019|Categories: Access to Information, POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , , , , , |
Read More

International Conference of Information Commissioners ICIC 2019

I attended the 11th International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC) on 10-14 March 2019 in Johannesburg South Africa with the theme "International cooperation to strengthen public access to information". I found it very interesting and many asked me about the [...]

By |2019-03-18T20:11:11+02:00March 18th, 2019|Categories: Access to Information, POPI and Data Protection|
Read More

My Vote Counts v Minister of Justice and Correctional Services

In the judgment of My Vote Counts v Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, My Vote Counts won the right for the public to know the source of a political party's funding. This enables voters to make informed decisions when [...]

By |2024-01-31T07:39:52+02:00June 21st, 2018|Categories: Access to Information|Tags: , , , , |
Read More

My Vote Counts NPC v President of the Republic of South Africa and Others

In My Vote Counts v President of the Republic of South Africa, the court said that PAIA was inconsistent with the Constitution and invalid because it does not require political parties to record and disclose private political funding. The court [...]

By |2022-11-21T16:29:28+02:00September 27th, 2017|Categories: Access to Information|Tags: , |
Read More

Access to Information Book

The access to information book was published by LexisNexis in May 2016. The book is written by Ronée Michelle Robinson. Access to information is based on the right to access to information in South Africa. The book focuses on [...]

By |2022-11-21T08:50:05+02:00October 18th, 2016|Categories: Access to Information|Tags: , , , |
Read More

Promotion of Access to Information Amendment Bill

The Promotion of Access to Information Amendment Bill seems to be dead in the water. The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development invited interested parties to submit written comments on the Draft Promotion of Access to Information Amendment Bill, back in [...]

By |2019-03-11T22:07:45+02:00January 26th, 2015|Categories: Access to Information|Tags: , |
Read More

President of South Africa v M&G Media Limited

In President of South Africa v M&G Media Limited, the court ruled that courts must take a  “judicial peek” into records when an organisation claims it can’t justify its refusal to disclose information because it will compromise the secrecy of [...]

By |2022-11-29T09:39:12+02:00November 29th, 2011|Categories: Access to Information|Tags: , |
Read More

Makhanya v Vodacom Service Provider Company

In Makhanya v Vodacom Service Provider Company the Court ruled that callers making unsolicited calls from a private number were a violation of Makhanya's right to privacy. The judgment impacts the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) and a [...]

By |2022-12-19T11:45:23+02:00October 12th, 2009|Categories: Access to Information, POPI and Data Protection|Tags: , , , |
Read More

Access to Information (PAI Act): Index (Part 2)

This is an index of the legal resources related to the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 from 2006 to 10 September 2009 General [Journal Articles] Van Coller, EH De Jure (2006) 39:01:163 - "Transparency and Access [...]

By |2019-08-24T09:50:07+02:00September 10th, 2009|Categories: Access to Information|Tags: , , , |
Read More

Access to Information (PAI Act): Index (Part 1)

This is an index of the legal resources related to the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 as at 6 September 2008. General [EH van Coller De Jure (2006) 39(1) p163 - "Transparency and Access to Documents: [...]

By |2019-08-24T11:42:29+02:00September 6th, 2008|Categories: Access to Information|Tags: , , , |
Read More