PAIA Manual

About this manual

This manual is published under section 51 of PAIA. It describes the records held by CaseThread and how to request access to them.

Private body: CaseThread (operated by [UPDATE — registered entity name, e.g. Optimiz Solutions (Pty) Ltd], company registration number [UPDATE — CIPC reg no.], of [UPDATE — registered physical address], South Africa).

Information Officer

CaseThread's Information Officer is [UPDATE — Information Officer full name]. For any privacy, access or data-protection query — including data-subject requests and PAIA requests — contact the Information Officer at legal@casethread.co.za, [UPDATE — postal address], [UPDATE — contact phone number].

[UPDATE — add any Deputy Information Officer, and confirm the Information Officer is registered with the Information Regulator.]

The Regulator's guide

The Information Regulator has compiled a guide, under PAIA section 10, on how to use the Act. It is available from the Regulator at inforegulator.org.za and may help a requester who is unsure how to proceed.

Records we hold

Automatically available / business records: company and account records, billing and subscription records, correspondence, and policies such as this manual, our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service (published on our website).

Records held as operator: case records that practices create and control in CaseThread. We hold these on the practice's behalf; a request for a client's case record should be made to the responsible practice, not to us.

Records subject to other laws: certain records are also governed by POPIA (personal information) and by tax and companies legislation.

How to request access

Submit a request to the Information Officer using the prescribed PAIA request form (Form 2), with enough detail to identify the record and the right you seek to exercise, the form of access required, and your contact details. Requests for a record containing your own or another person's personal information must comply with POPIA.

We will respond within the period PAIA prescribes (ordinarily 30 days, extendable as the Act allows) and will tell you our decision, any fee, and your remedies.

Fees

Prescribed PAIA request and access fees may apply, as set out in the PAIA regulations. [UPDATE — Information Officer/counsel to confirm and publish the current fee schedule.]

Grounds for refusal & remedies

Access may be refused on the grounds set out in PAIA (for example protection of another person's privacy, commercial confidentiality, or legal privilege).

If a request is refused, the requester may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator or apply to court, as PAIA provides.

Availability

This manual is available on our website and, on request, from the Information Officer. [UPDATE — confirm the manual is also submitted/available as PAIA requires.]