PAIA Manual

Superjakes

Superjakes

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To all the small business owners and other relevant people out there: did you or do you plan to get/build/make/create/whatever a PAIA (Promotion of Access to Information Act) manual? Why should I get one? How much did you pay, if you paid to have it done?

I got a mail from the bookkeeper offering to do this for R1500 today. This is honestly the first I have heard of this...
 
Hi Superjakes,
Im currently doing it for quite a few of my clients, definitely NOT at R1500. If you pm me your email address I will send you a few this to answer your questions. One extract from the Act I will post is:

Section 90(3) provides that:
“A head of a private body who wilfully or in a grossly negligent manner fails to comply with the provisions of section 51 commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine, or to imprisonment of a period not exceeding 2 years”
 
Drafting a PAIA section 51 manual is easy-peasy. Download the act, and read s51 requirements, and the numerous examples of s51 manuals on the internet. Select and adqapt one that suits or is closet to your organisation.

A rough first draft shouldn't take one than a couple of hours if you cut and paste s51's requirements but longer to fine tune it or add your own business' specific requirements.

Remember to lodge the completed document with SA Human Rights Commission.

R1500 could be fair depending the hourly rate of the consultant but I think they may have existing templates they modify. Do it yourself and learn a new skill.
 
It just feels ridiculous to have to submit some BS document to the human rights commission to be able to own a hairsalon and not get arrested and chucked in jail for two years. My first question would be - what are they going to do with this info? I violation of exactly whose human rights am I potentially?
 
Its a pain but someone recently compared it to the census. Everybody kicking and screaming but its something you have to do.

The Act came into force i think back in 2000 or 2001 with original deadline Dec 2005 which was postponed to 2011 for small businesses.

You have to hand a hard copy at their offices in Joburg and email a soft copy
 
I only just heard about this document that need to be submitted by the end of the year.

How serious is this?

Does anyone know what the penalties will be with late submission?

Any chance of another extension? (I understand it was already extended from 2005 to 2011)

We have a lot of clients to who this apply but our partners only realised this today. Urgh.
 
Your R350 certainly beats the crap out of my R1500. I think I might just have it done via these guys...
 
blogbytes said:
I would also like to know..

These people app do it for R350..
http://www.totalcompliance.co.za/index.html
Click to expand...

Has anyone used the above service? I had a look at it as it the cheapest offering of this service i have found, but it looks a little suspicious. No contact details at all apart from a web for and a fax to e-mail address. No details about who they are and the website is registered to a company called Easy Websites UK in the UK.

I dont want to throw money away. If anyone has used them please let me know.
 
Ramar, I'm doing these for quite a few clients in both Joburg and Cape Town.

I just looked at the website - the registration form that they require you to complete doesnt have the basic/minimum information that is required according to the Act. Secondly, you are required to sign the document PRIOR to submission - which they also dont detail.

I would just be careful, rather safe than sorry...

EDIT: This is just the obvious points I have notices by quickly browsing
 
Thanks,

Yes, i looked at their form and saw that they don't ask any of the info required for the manual. Looks like a quick buck scam. Will do it myself rather!
 
Yes - I received similar emails from the usual spam suspects forwarded to me by one of my clients. So, in an effort to be just a little fair, I made this.

Use it - don't use it, whatever. These things are so generic that they can be template compiled without hassle.
 
How accurate are you guys doing this? I am not happy about this thing - don't see the point.

Have the caseware template to help, but still looks like my holidays may have to be put on hold for a day or two.
 
GrootBaas said:
How accurate are you guys doing this? I am not happy about this thing - don't see the point.

Have the caseware template to help, but still looks like my holidays may have to be put on hold for a day or two.
Click to expand...

Caseware does PAIA? Cool.
Provided section 51`'s points are in the manual, it should be OK. I've seen a range of manuals, from short 2-pagers to 4-pagers with annexures (fee schedules). Promise you, it does not take long to get a basic draft.
 
Thanks guys for the all info. provided. I found it really useful.

Just tried emailing my completed PAIA manual off to the SAHRC and got the following response
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Delivery has failed to these recipients or distribution lists:

[email protected]
The recipient's mailbox is full and can't accept messages now. Microsoft Exchange will not try to redeliver this message for you. Please try resending this message later, or contact the recipient directly.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Makes you think how seriously they're actually taking this matter.
 
15 minutes and you can save yourself a lot of Money R199

Superjakes said:
To all the small business owners and other relevant people out there: did you or do you plan to get/build/make/create/whatever a PAIA (Promotion of Access to Information Act) manual? Why should I get one? How much did you pay, if you paid to have it done?

I got a mail from the bookkeeper offering to do this for R1500 today. This is honestly the first I have heard of this...
Click to expand...



http://www.accesstoinfo.co.za/
 
PAIAfactory - free Section 51 manual-compilation service

So many companies/firms are charging mad prices to small business for these manuals, especially considering the fact that such manuals are really easy to make for small businesses - even with the POPI aspect considered and implemented.

Having given this some thought, and in my attempt to assist, I'm busy building a new platform that creates manuals for free. PAIAfactory is only intended for small businesses and non-profits, and such will be indicated on the resulting manuals themselves. The manuals will be POPI-compliant, and will be tamper-proof. For educational purposes, the manual compilation wizard also provides information about each section and what it means.

I did think of having a paid-whitelabelled version, but I don't think small businesses care enough about that...

You can sign up for the launch notification here: https://paiafactory.co.za/

Note that exemption has been extended per http://www.gov.za/sites/www.gov.za/files/39504_gon1222.pdf, but it is still encouraged that small businesses obtain a manual.
 
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