In terms of Section 51 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA, Act 2 of 2000), private bodies publish a manual explaining how individuals can request access to records they hold.
1. Contact Details: Information Officer
Requests may be submitted to the ARQSA Information Officer via email, post, or online via our website.
2. Guide on How to Use PAIA
The South African Human Rights Commission publishes a comprehensive Guide to PAIA, including assistance with forms, procedures, and remedies. The guide includes:
- Objects of PAIA.
- How to format and submit a request.
- Assistance available from Information Officers.
- Appeal and complaint mechanisms.
3. Records Available Without a PAIA Request
We currently do not have any records publicly available without a formal PAIA request.
4. Other Legislation Governing Our Records
Some of the information we hold is subject to retention or disclosure obligations under other legislation, including:
- Companies Act.
- Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (ECTA).
- Income Tax Act.
- POPIA, the Protection of Personal Information Act.
5. Scope of Personal Information Processing
As required under POPIA, we process personal information as follows:
- Purposes: Registration, accounts, communication, payments, and marketing with consent.
- Categories: Users' names, emails, phone numbers, and billing data.
- Recipients: Supabase, Cloudflare, Vercel, PayFast, and Resend.
- Cross-border flows: Some providers operate outside South Africa; we maintain DPAs and safeguards.
- Security measures: Encryption, access controls, and contracts supporting confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
6. Subjects and Records We Hold
We hold records related to:
- Accounts and users: names, emails, phone numbers, and registration data.
- Payments and billing: invoices, payment confirmations, and transaction IDs.
- Communications: support requests and notifications.
- Consent logs: marketing consents, timestamps, and version history.
7. How to Make a PAIA Request
To request access to a record:
- Submit the request in writing to our Information Officer.
- Include enough detail to identify yourself and the record requested.
- Explain why the record is required to exercise or protect a right.
- Specify the form of access you want, such as an electronic copy.
- PAIA allows a reasonable fee for processing hard-copy requests; such fees will be communicated.
8. Internal Appeal and Complaints
If your request is refused or not satisfactorily handled, you may lodge an internal appeal with our Information Officer. If still unresolved, you may complain to the Information Regulator using the PAIA complaint form.