Gronde vir die weiering van toegang tot inligting soos van toepassing op openbare instellings (deel II)

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Date
2008
Authors
Roberts, B.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Faculty of Law, University of the Free State
Abstract
English: The right of access to information as contained in section 32 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, is not an absolute right. It has to be limited in order to protect sensitive material of which the disclosure may cause damage to individual or public interests. In light of this, the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA) contains a number of legitimate grounds for the refusal of information. Part I of this article provided an explanation of the structure of the grounds for refusal, looked at the principles relevant to their correct interpretation and continued with an analysis of the first six grounds as contained in the PAIA. In part II, the remainder of the grounds for refusal that are applicable to public institutions, are examined (sections 40 to 46). These grounds, amongst others, relate to records concerning the defence, security, international relations and economic and financial welfare of the Republic, records that reveal research information of a third party or a public institution and records concerning the operations of public institutions. As was the case in part I, the grounds are analysed with reference to corresponding provisions of the American Freedom of Information Act, the Canadian Access to Information Act, the New Zealand Official Information Act and the Australian Freedom of Information Act.
Afrikaans: Die reg op toegang tot inligting, soos vervat in artikel 32 van die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, is nie ’n absolute reg nie. Dit moet beperk word om te verhoed dat sensitiewe materiaal, wat openbare of private belange mag skaad, bekend gemaak word. In die lig hiervan, maak die Wet op die Bevordering van Toegang tot Inligting 2 van 2000, voorsiening vir legitieme gronde vir die weiering van inligting. Deel I van hierdie artikel het ’n verduideliking verskaf van die struktuur en toepassingsbeginsels van die gronde, gevolg deur ’n ontleding van die eerste ses gronde vir die weiering van Inligting soos vervat in bogenoemde Wet. In Deel II word die oorblywende gronde wat op openbare instellings betrekking het, onder die loep geneem (artikel 40 tot 46). Dié gronde is onder meer gemik op die beskerming van rekords rakende die verdediging, sekuriteit, internasionale verhoudinge, en ekonomiese belange en finansiële welsyn van die Republiek, rekords wat navorsingsinligting van derde partye of openbare instellings bevat en rekords wat betrekking het op die werking van openbare instellings. Soos wat die geval met Deel I was, word elk van die individuele gronde ontleed met verwysing na die ooreenstemmende bepalings van die Amerikaanse Freedom of Information Act, die Kanadese Access to Information Act, die Nieu-Seelandse Official Information Act en die Australiese Freedom of Information Act.
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Keywords
Right of access to information, Sensitive material, Public interest, Public institutions, Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA)
Citation
Roberts, B. (2008). Gronde vir die weiering van toegang tot inligting soos van toepassing op openbare instellings (deel II). Journal for Juridical Science, 33(1), 23-41.