1. Purpose of this Manual
This Manual is published in terms of Section 51 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (Act No. 2 of 2000) ("PAIA") as amended by the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (Act No. 4 of 2013) ("POPIA"). It provides an overview of the categories of records held by PyCentric (Pty) Ltd and the procedural mechanisms required to request access to such records.
2. Company Contact Details & Information Officer
PyCentric (Pty) Ltd is a private commercial enterprise operating as a software engineering and applied AI studio in the Republic of South Africa.
Office of the Information Officer
Entity Name: PyCentric (Pty) Ltd
Designated Information Officer: Principal Executive / Managing Director
Physical Jurisdiction: Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Compliance & PAIA Requests: compliance@pycentric.co.za
Data Privacy (POPIA) Inquiries: privacy@pycentric.co.za
Website: https://pycentric.co.za
3. Guide of the Information Regulator (Section 10)
The South African Information Regulator has compiled a comprehensive guide containing information to assist any person who wishes to exercise any right contemplated in PAIA and POPIA. The Guide is available in all official languages on the Information Regulator's website: inforegulator.org.za.
4. Records Automatically Available Without Formal Request (Section 52)
The following categories of records are automatically available for public inspection without the need to submit a formal PAIA request:
- Public website content, engineering blogs, case studies, and capabilities documentation published at pycentric.co.za.
- The PyCentric Operating Code and corporate values manifesto.
- Public Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, and AI Ethics statements.
- Client Referral Program terms and promotional announcements.
5. Records Held in Accordance with Other South African Legislation
PyCentric maintains statutory records in accordance with the following relevant legislation:
- Companies Act, No. 71 of 2008
- Income Tax Act, No. 58 of 1962
- Value Added Tax Act, No. 89 of 1991
- Protection of Personal Information Act, No. 4 of 2013
- Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, No. 25 of 2002
- Basic Conditions of Employment Act, No. 75 of 1997
6. Categories of Records Subject to Formal Request (Section 51(1)(e))
Access to the following internal records may be requested via the formal procedure set out below, subject to statutory refusal grounds:
| Category | Description of Records |
|---|---|
| Corporate Secretarial | Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI), CIPC registration certificates, share registers, and board minutes. |
| Financial & Tax | Annual financial statements, tax returns, banking records, general ledgers, and VAT records. |
| Human Resources | Employment contracts, contractor agreements, internal code of conduct, and disciplinary records. |
| Client & Commercial | Master Services Agreements (MSAs), Statements of Work (SOWs), non-disclosure agreements, and client invoices. |
7. Step-by-Step Procedure to Request Access
- Complete Prescribed Form 2: Download and complete the prescribed Form 2 (Request for Access to Record) available from the Information Regulator website (inforegulator.org.za).
- Provide Sufficient Detail: The request must identify the exact record requested, the identity of the requester, the right being exercised or protected, and why the record is required for that purpose.
- Submit via Monitored Compliance Channel: Send the completed Form 2 along with certified proof of identity to: compliance@pycentric.co.za.
- Payment of Prescribed Fees: Pay the statutory request fee prescribed under the PAIA Regulations prior to processing.
8. Timelines & Notification of Decision
PyCentric will process the request and notify the requester in writing within 30 calendar days of receipt of the completed Form 2 and prescribed fee. This period may be extended once for an additional 30 days under Section 57 if the request involves a large volume of records or complex searches.
9. Grounds for Refusal of Access
In terms of Chapter 4 of PAIA, PyCentric is required or permitted to refuse access to records under specific statutory grounds, including:
- Mandatory protection of the privacy of a third party who is a natural person (Section 63).
- Mandatory protection of the commercial trade secrets, proprietary algorithms, and financial information of a third party or PyCentric (Section 64 & 68).
- Mandatory protection of confidential information protected by contract or non-disclosure agreement (Section 65).
- Mandatory protection of the safety of individuals and protection of property (Section 66).
10. Availability of this Manual
This manual is published on PyCentric's website at pycentric.co.za/paia-manual/ and is updated whenever material corporate changes occur.