Information Officer Letter of Appointment

We can provide you with an Information Officer Letter of Appointment that you can use to appoint your Information Officer. The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI Act) and the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) specify that the head of the private body (including CEOs and Managing Members of CCs, for example) is the responsible person.

The purpose of this letter is to enable the head to authorise another person to act in the place of the head. The person is called an Information Officer and is responsible for providing access to information and the protection of personal information. However, ultimately the head remains accountable. It contains various specific duties under PAIA and POPI, and generally recommended duties to assist the Information Officer.

How you benefit

The letter allows you to change the default position and delegate responsibility to someone else. The head authorises a person to act on their behalf as the Information Officer. Have peace of mind knowing that:

• you have appointed your Information Officer,
• you have assigned responsibility to your Information Officer,
• everyone will know who the Information Officer is, and
• your Information Officer is aware of their responsibilities under POPI and PAIA.

The letter of appointment:

• ‘kills two birds with one stone” as it covers both PAIA and POPI
• will protect your rights
• covers all the important issues
• is specifically drafted for privacy compliance in South Africa
• is easy to complete and sign
• is in plain language and easy to read
• is up-to-date

Who does it apply to?

This document applies to all “private bodies” and the “head” of the private body is the responsible person.  Put simply, if you are:

• a sole trader
• a partner in a partnership
• the CEO or MD of a company
• the managing member of a close corporation
• a trustee of a trust
• head of any body of persons corporate or incorporated (such as political parties, trade unions, social clubs)

you are the designated Information Officer and responsible for complying with POPI and PAIA.  However, the head can authorise someone to carry out some of the responsibilities.

What do you get?

You will get a ready to sign letter that you can cut and paste onto your letterhead. In A4 editable electronic format. How do I get it?