SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Apply the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 in Public Bodies 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
365185  Apply the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 in Public Bodies 
ORIGINATOR
Task Team - Justice Legal Training 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 08 - Law, Military Science and Security Justice in Society 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 6  NQF Level 06  5 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2026-06-30   2029-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
This unit standard is aimed at Information Officers, Deputy Information Officers and their support personnel attached to public bodies. The purpose of this unit standard is to provide the target group with the knowledge, skills and attitude necessary to apply the Promotion of Access to Information Act, Act 2 of 2000 in practice. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
It is assumed that the learner has the following knowledge and skills:
  • Communication at NQF Level 4. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    N/A 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Explain the context in which the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 is applied and how that context impacts on the application of the Act. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    The Constitutional right of access to information is explained and related to decisions an Information Officer is required to make in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Includes, but is not limited to:
  • The provision of section 32 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996 with reference to the Constitutional values contained in section 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 and the ideal of a participative democracy especially as that idea is applied in section 195 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.
  • Linking the right of access to information with the right to administrative justice contained in section 33 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The need for open and transparent government is explained and related to the duties of an Information Officer in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Includes but is not limited to the meaning of the concepts "open" and "transparent" in the context of the Public Service and the significance of these concepts to a democratic society based on freedom, equality and respect for human dignity.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    The need to protect the right to privacy of third parties is demonstrated as it relates to the promotion of Access to Information Act. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Includes but is not limited to the need to balance the requirement of an open and transparent government with the need for discretion, especially where the privacy of an individual will be infringed or the life or well being of a person will be threatened by a disclosure of information.
     

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Explain the provisions of the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 and apply them to a given set of facts. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    The scope of application of the Promotion of Access to Information Act is demonstrated given a set of facts. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The right of access to information is analysed and applied to a set of facts. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    The grounds for refusing access to information held by public bodies is analysed and applied to a set of facts. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Apply the Promotion of Access to Information Act in practice. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    A procedure for dealing with a request for a record is explained and applied to a set of facts. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    A procedure for dealing an internal review is explained and applied to a set of facts. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    A procedure for dealing with a third party notification is explained and applied to a set of facts. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    A request for access to information is assessed and a decision is made pertaining to the disclosure of the requested record. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    The documentation necessary to manage the request, the internal appeal procedure and the third party notification procedure is generated. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Written reasons for a decision made in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act is prepared. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • An individual wishing to be assessed (including through Recognition of Prior Learning) against this Unit Standard may apply to an assessment agency, assessor or provider institution accredited by the relevant ETQA, or an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding with the relevant ETQA.
  • Anyone assessing a learner against this Unit Standard must be registered as an assessor with the relevant ETQA or with an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding with the relevant ETQA.
  • Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this Unit Standard or assessing this Unit Standard must be accredited as a provider with the relevant ETQA or with an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding with the relevant ETQA.
  • Moderation of assessment will be conducted by the relevant ETQA at its discretion. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
  • The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 and human rights.
  • The provisions of the Promotion of Access to Information Act 3 of 2000 with the exclusion of that parts of the Act dealing specifically with private bodies.
  • A rational decision making model.
  • Decision making techniques.
  • The writing process.
  • Report writing.
  • Writing business letters. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identifying and solving problems in which responses display that responsible decisions using critical and creative thinking have been made when:
  • A decision regarding the disclosure of a record is made. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organising and managing oneself and one's activities responsibly and effectively when:
  • Procedures for dealing with a request for records, dealing with an internal appeal and a third party application is dealt with. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collecting, analysing, organising and critically evaluating information to better understand and explain:
  • When a decision regarding the disclosure of a record is made. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communicating effectively using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written persuasion when:
  • The necessary documentation to manage the procedures required by the Promotion of Access to Information Act is generated
  • Written reasons for a decision regarding the disclosure of a record is prepared. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrating an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation when:
  • The Promotion of Access to Information Act is applied in its proper context.
  • Third parties are informed of requests for access to records that affect them, and their views are properly accounted for during the assessment of the request. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    N/A 

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Elective  50265   National Certificate: Family Law Practice  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  SAS SETA 
    Elective  97228   National Certificate: Paralegal Practice  Level 5  NQF Level 05  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  As per Learning Programmes recorded against this Qual 
    Elective  49598   National Diploma: Paralegal Practice  Level 5  NQF Level 05  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  SAS SETA 
    Elective  74570   National Certificate: Labour Relations Practice  Level 6  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  SERVICES 
    Elective  90657   National Certificate: Prosecuting  Not Applicable  NQF Level 05  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  SAS SETA 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.