Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (Proatia)
All businesses must comply with the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (Proatia). The Promotion of Access to information act 2 of 2000 gives effect to the Constitutional right of access to information held by both public and private bodies. In effect this allows every South African access to information held by both public and private bodies. The Act sets out how and what information may be requested from a business and also what businesses need to do to comply with the Act.
The Promotion of Access to Information Act requires all businesses, big or small, to develop and publish a PROATIA manual. A PROATIA manual is essentially a list of the information which a company or closed corporation holds and which it is required to make available to any person (“person” includes the government and other companies and corporations) who requests it under the Promotion of Access to Information Act.
A copy of the information manual must be made available at the South African Human Rights Commission, at the office of head of the private body and to the controlling of which that private body is a member, if applicable and on the website of the private body.
Exceed (Cape Town) Inc. has a software solution that enables us to prepare a PROATIA manual for our clients at a cost of R500 (VAT excluded) per manual.
Please note that the original deadline for small business of 31 August 2005, was extended until 31 December 2015 and that a head of a private body who wilfully or in a grossly negligent manner fails to comply with the provisions of section 51 of the Act commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine, or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years.
If you would like to make use of our services, to prepare a PROATIA manual, please contact our offices.
Please take note that this work does not form part of bookkeeping, accounting, audit, taxation or secretarial services currently provided and will be invoiced and payable separately.
Kind regards
Exceed (Cape Town) Inc