PROMOTION OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION ACT, 2 OF 2000 City of Cape Town 17 March 2010

PAIA The purpose of the PAIA is to give effect to the constitutional right of access to any information held by a public body The purpose of the PAIA is to give effect to the constitutional right of access to any information held by a public body The definition of public body includes any municipality in the local sphere of government The definition of public body includes any municipality in the local sphere of government The right of access to information is subject only to certain justifiable limitations The right of access to information is subject only to certain justifiable limitations Information refers to any recorded information regardless of its form or medium Information refers to any recorded information regardless of its form or medium

Compliance The PAIA requires, inter alia - The PAIA requires, inter alia - that certain manuals pertaining to a public body be available to the public,that certain manuals pertaining to a public body be available to the public, that annual reporting to the Human Rights Commission takes place,that annual reporting to the Human Rights Commission takes place, that procedures be in place to ensure effective handling of requests for access to informationthat procedures be in place to ensure effective handling of requests for access to information

Western Cape Access to Information Forum The Provincial Government recently entered into an agreement with the City of Cape Town and ODAC to establish a Forum The Provincial Government recently entered into an agreement with the City of Cape Town and ODAC to establish a Forum The purpose of this Forum is to promote the constitutional right of access to information The purpose of this Forum is to promote the constitutional right of access to information The Forum will comprise representatives of ODAC, the local sphere of government as well as Provincial Government The Forum will comprise representatives of ODAC, the local sphere of government as well as Provincial Government

Purpose Persons with the necessary expertise will be appointed to provide advice, training and technical assistance to local spheres of government to ensure proper compliance with the PAIA at no cost to municipalities Persons with the necessary expertise will be appointed to provide advice, training and technical assistance to local spheres of government to ensure proper compliance with the PAIA at no cost to municipalities The Forum will furthermore provide a mechanism where role players can interact on matters relating to access to information within their respective geographical areas The Forum will furthermore provide a mechanism where role players can interact on matters relating to access to information within their respective geographical areas

Communication Representatives of the Forum will contact municipal managers in due course to arrange for consultations to ascertain the necessary assistance required by the relevant municipality Representatives of the Forum will contact municipal managers in due course to arrange for consultations to ascertain the necessary assistance required by the relevant municipality

Recommendation The Forum takes note of the presentation and supports the roll out of the access to information capacity building process aimed at assisting municipalities. The Forum takes note of the presentation and supports the roll out of the access to information capacity building process aimed at assisting municipalities.

Thank you