PAIA manual
This manual is published in terms of section 51 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA). It explains what records the foundation holds and how to ask for access to them.
What PAIA is
PAIA gives effect to the constitutional right of access to information. It sets out a process for requesting records held by public bodies and by private bodies. The foundation is a private body for the purposes of the Act.
A requester may be refused access only on a ground listed in the Act. A request may not be refused simply because the foundation would rather not answer it.
The private body
Information Officer
PAIA defines the head of a private body as its chief executive officer or equivalent officer, or the person acting as such. The Information Officer of the foundation is therefore the head of the foundation, and no separate appointment is required.
Requests, questions and complaints under PAIA should be addressed to the Information Officer at info@autismallyship.org, or by telephone on +27 66 385 9936.
The PAIA guide
The Information Regulator has compiled a guide, in terms of section 10 of the Act, explaining how to use PAIA. It is available from the Information Regulator in each official language, free of charge, and can be requested from the Regulator directly or obtained from its website.
Records the foundation holds
Records are grouped by subject below. Listing a category here does not mean every record in it will be released: access is still decided against the grounds of refusal in the Act.
- Governance: founding documents, records of decisions, and correspondence about how the foundation is run.
- Events: event details, attendance registers, ticket records and event correspondence.
- Contact and enquiries: messages sent through the website contact form and the replies to them.
- Donations and merchandise: records of donations received and merchandise orders, including bank references.
- Website and app content: published articles, resource listings, gallery images and the records behind them.
- Staff and volunteers: records of the people who administer the foundation and its systems.
Records available under other legislation
Some records may be available, or may have to be produced, under other legislation, including the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013, the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 and the Nonprofit Organisations Act 71 of 1997. A request under one of those Acts is dealt with under that Act rather than under this manual.
If you are asking for your own personal information rather than for a record generally, see the privacy policy, which sets out how to exercise your POPIA rights.
How to request access
- Complete the prescribed request form for access to a record of a private body, made under the PAIA regulations, and available from the Information Regulator.
- Send it to the Information Officer at info@autismallyship.org.
- Give enough detail to identify the record and to allow the foundation to contact you, and state the form of access you would like.
- If you are asking for the record in order to exercise or protect a right, say which right, and how the record would help.
The foundation must decide on a request within 30 days, and will tell you the outcome in writing. That period may be extended in the circumstances the Act allows, and you will be told if it is.
Fees are those prescribed by regulation under PAIA. A request fee may be payable before a request is processed, and an access fee may be payable before a record is released. You will be told what is payable before any work is done, and no other charge is added.
When access may be refused
The Act sets out the only grounds on which a private body may or must refuse access. They include the protection of the privacy of a third party, commercial information of the foundation or a third party, information held in confidence, the safety of individuals and the security of property, records privileged in legal proceedings, and certain research information. If access is refused, you will be given reasons and told what you can do next.
If you are unhappy with the outcome
You may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator, which oversees PAIA, or apply to a court for appropriate relief. The Regulator's contact details are published on its website.
Updates to this manual
This manual is reviewed when the foundation's records or contact details change, and the current version is always the one published here. It was last updated in September 2026.
Privacy policy
For information about personal information handled by the website, see the privacy policy.