Overview

The Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (PAIA) requires private bodies to compile and maintain a PAIA Manual in terms of section 51 of the Act. The manual serves as a guide to the information held by the organisation and explains how members of the public may request access to records in accordance with PAIA.

A compliant PAIA Manual must contain prescribed information, including details of the Information Officer, categories of records held by the organisation, information relating to the processing of personal information, available remedies, and other disclosures required by both PAIA and the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA).

With increased regulatory focus on information governance, privacy, and transparency, organisations should regularly review and update their PAIA Manuals to ensure that they accurately reflect current business operations and comply with the latest legislative and regulatory requirements.

The ProBeta PAIA Toolkit has been designed to assist businesses, accounting firms, auditors, legal practitioners, consultants, trusts, and other private bodies in preparing and maintaining compliant PAIA documentation quickly and efficiently. The toolkit is provided on the Microsoft platform and includes step-by-step guidance, practical templates, automated documents, and implementation support.

The toolkit includes:

• A comprehensive PAIA Manual template for private bodies;
• POPIA-compliant disclosure sections incorporated into the manual;
• A Trust Assessment Template to determine whether a trust is required to maintain a PAIA Manual;
• A PAIA Request Register Template for recording and monitoring access-to-information requests;
• Information Officer and Deputy Information Officer guidance;
• Annual PAIA reporting guidance and practical implementation notes;
• Practical instructions for completing and maintaining the documentation.

The toolkit has been updated to reflect current PAIA and POPIA requirements, Information Regulator guidance, and practical compliance expectations applicable to South African organisations.

Whether you are preparing a PAIA Manual for the first time or reviewing an existing manual, the ProBeta PAIA Toolkit provides a practical and cost-effective solution to assist with ongoing compliance and information governance requirements.

For a video on how the software works, please click here:

https://ftp.tech-probeta.co.za/2026ComplianceHubToolkit/PROATIA_PAIA_Video.zip

Release date: 2026