Page:Promotion of Access to Information Act 2000.djvu/13



in section 1) by consultation, making representations or otherwise, to participate in or influence—

the formulation of policy; or

the exercise of powers or performance of duties, by the body;

a description of all remedies available in respect of an act or a failure to act by the body; and

such other information as may be prescribed.

(2) A public body must, if necessary, update and publish its manual referred to in subsection (1) at intervals of not more than one year.

(3) Each manual must be made available as prescribed.

(4)(a) If the functions of two or more public bodies are closely connected, the Minister may on request or of his or her own accord determine that the two or more bodies compile one manual only.

(b) The public bodies in question must share the cost of the compilation and making available of such manual as the Minister determines.

(5) For security, administrative or financial reasons, the Minister may, on request or of his or her own accord by notice in the Gazette, exempt any public body or category of public bodies from any provision of this section for such period as the Minister thinks fit.

Voluntary disclosure and automatic availability of certain records

15. (1) The information officer of a public body, referred to in paragraph (a) or (b)(i) of the definition of “public body” in section 1, must, on a periodic basis not less frequently than once each year, submit to the Minister a description of—

the categories of records of the public body that are automatically available without a person having to request access in terms of this Act, including such categories available—

for inspection in terms of legislation other than this Act;

for purchase or copying from the body; and

from the body free of charge; and

how to obtain access to such records.

(2) On a periodic basis not less frequently than once each year and at the cost of the relevant public body, the Minister must, by notice in the Gazette—

publish every description submitted in terms of subsection (1); or

update every description so published,

as the case may be.

(3) The only fee payable (if any) for access to a record included in a notice in terms of subsection (2) is a prescribed fee for reproduction.

(4) The information officer of a public body may delete any part of a record contemplated in subsection (1)(a) which, on a request for access, may or must be refused in terms of Chapter 4 of this Part.

(5) Section 11 and any other provisions in this Act related to that section do not apply to any category of records included in a notice in terms of subsection (2).

Information in telephone directory

16. The Director-General of the national department responsible for government communications and information services must at that department's cost ensure the publication of the postal and street address, phone and fax number and, if available, electronic mail address of the information officer of every public body in every telephone directory issued for general use by the public as are prescribed.

Designation of deputy information officers, and delegation

17. (1) For the purposes of this Act, each public body must, subject to legislation governing the employment of personnel of the public body concerned, designate such number of persons as deputy information officers as are necessary to render the public body as accessible as reasonably possible for requesters of its records.