The Promotion of Access to Information Act, or PAIA, is a piece of legislation which gives effect to the public’s constitutional right to access information held by government and the private sector. A PAIA application is a written request that outlines what information is being requested and from whom. At Open Secrets we believe that it is vital for open democracy and transparency in governance that the public has access to information that their effects their lives and rights. We use PAIA application’s to ensure that government and private actors are held accountable for their actions and information received from PAIA applications have provided the basis for many of our investigations and reports including Apartheid Guns and Money, and Profiting from Misery.
Eskom’s secretive pricing deals with aluminium giant South32 reveal how claims of ‘commercial confidentiality’ are used to block access to information in the public interest.
The Access to Information Network (ATI Network) compiled and submitted a report engaging with how our courts have interpreted and applied the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) in cases concerning access to information, particularly on energy- and climate-related information requests.
Fossil Free South Africa (FFSA) and Open Secrets express dismay and alarm at the refusal by the South African parliamentarians’ pension fund to divulge whether it invests in fossil fuel companies and in companies trading with human rights-abusing regimes, like Israel.
Open Secrets and the Access to Information Coalition for the Energy Sector (ATIC) submitted a crucial report to the UN Special Rapporteur for Climate Change.
Open Secrets stands with the Palestinian people. We call for an immediate ceasefire by the Israeli occupation forces and an end to Israeli apartheid.
Open Secrets and the Campaign for Free Expression lodged an information application with the Office of the President asking for the final report (and additional relevant information) on the docking of the Lady R Russian cargo vessel during December 2022.
