The Promotion of Access to Information Act No 2 of 2000, ("the Act") came into operation on 23 November 2001. Section 51 of this Act requires that we as a private body compile a manual giving information to the public regarding the procedure to be followed in requesting information from us for the purpose of exercising or protecting rights.

The South African Veterinary Association was founded in 1920 registered as a section 21 company.

The South African Veterinary Association aims to serve its members and to further the status and image of the veterinarian.

We as a private body have compiled this manual, not only to comply with the provisions of the Act, but also to foster a culture of transparency and accountability in our environment and to ensure that members of the public have effective access to information in our possession which will assist them in exercise and protection of their rights.

Inside these pages you will be able to view the categories of information which we possess.

SECTION A: Particulars of the Private Body
(Information required under section 51(1) (a) of the Act)

Full name - South African Veterinary Association
(Registration No 1903/002020/20)
Postal address - P O Box 25033
Monument Park 0152
Physical address - 47 Gemsbok Avenue
Monument Park
Pretoria
0152
Telephone - (012) 346-1150
Telefax - (012) 346-2929
Website - www.sava.co.za

CONTACT DETAILS OF THE HEAD OF THE COMPANY AND REQUEST LIAISON OFFICER
The head of the company is Dr Colin M Cameron.

Contact details of the head of the company -
Telephone - (012) 346-1150
Telefax: - (012) 346-2929
E-mail - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The request liaison officer is Ms Elize Nicholas

Contact details of the request liaison officer -
Telephone - (012) 346-1150
Telefax - (012) 346-2929
E-mail - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Section 10 of the Act requires the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to publish a Guide containing information reasonably required by a person wishing to exercise or protect any right in terms of this Act.

The Guide will contain the following information:

1. The objects of the Act;
2. Particulars of the information officer of every public body;
3. Particulars of every private body as are practicable;
4. The manner and form of a request for access to information held by a body;
5. Assistance available from both the information officers and the Human Rights Commission in terms of the Act;
6. All remedies in law regarding acts, omissions, rights and duties, including how to lodge an internal appeal and a court application;
7. Schedules of fees to be paid in relation to requests for access to information;
8. Regulations made in terms of the Act.

Copies of this Guide will be available as soon as it is published by the SAHRC. Enquiries regarding the guide can be addressed to the SAHRC, the contact details of which are as follows:

Post: South African Human Rights Commission
Promotion of Access to Information Act Unit
Research and Documentation Department
Private Bag 2700
Houghton
2041

Telephone: (011) 484?8300
Telefax: (011) 484?0582
Website: www.sahrc.org.za
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Methods of Access to Manual

* Human Rights Commission – a copy will be made available to the Commission
* SAVA Web Page – www.sava.co.za
* At the offices of the South African Veterinary Association

RECORDS THAT ARE AUTOMATICALLY AVAILABLE TO EITHER EMPLOYEES ONLY OR THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND EMPLOYEES
(Information required under section 51(1)(c) of the Act)

The following records are automatically available to all employees and need not be requested in accordance with the procedure outlined in paragraph 0 -
personnel records are available to the employee whose file it is;
records of disciplinary hearings and related matters are available to the employee concerned;
the company's policies and procedures manual;
the company's document format manual;
The following records are automatically available to the general public and all employees and need not be requested in accordance with the procedure outlined in paragraph 0 -
the company's employment equity plan;

OTHER TYPES OF RECORDS HELD BY THE COMPANY AS CONTEMPLATED IN SECTION 51(1)(c)

These records are not automatically available without a request in terms of the Act. A request in terms of this section is subject to section 63(1) of the Act, which provides that the head of a company must refuse a request for access to a record of the company if the disclosure of the record would involve the unreasonable disclosure of personal information about a third party including a deceased individual.

The following records are not automatically available without a request in terms of the Act-
all statutory returns -
Value Added Tax Act No. 89 of 1991;
Unemployment Insurance Act No. 63 of 2001;
Unemployment Contributions Act No. 4 of 2002;
Skills development Act 97 of 1998;
Skills development Levies Act No. 9 of 1999;
Income Tax Act No. 95 of 1967;
Companies Act No. 61 of 1973;
Basic Condition of Employment No. 73 of 1997
Compensation of Occupational Injuries and Diseases – Act 130 of 1993
Veterinary and Para- Veterinary Professions Act no. 19 of 1982
Documents concerning compliance by the company, insofar as it may be necessary.

A request must be made on the prescribed form. The form is available from the website of the HRC, or the website of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development at www.doj.gov.za.
The prescribed form should be submitted to the request liaison officer at her address, tele-fax number or e?mail address, who will hand it to the head of the company.
The same procedure as set out above applies if the requester is requesting information on behalf of another person or on behalf of a permanent employee of the company.
The head of the company, as soon as reasonably possible and within thirty days after the request has been received, shall decide whether or not to grant the request.
The requester will be notified of the decision of the head of the company or the request liaison officer in the manner indicated by the requester.
If the request is granted, the requester shall be informed by the head of the company or the request liaison officer in the manner indicated by the requester in the prescribed form.
Notwithstanding the aforegoing, the company will advise the requester in the manner stipulated by the requested in the prescribed form of -
the access fee to be paid for the information;
the format in which access will be given;
the fact that the requester may lodge an appeal with a court of competent jurisdiction against the access fee charged or the format in which access is to be granted.
After access is granted, actual access to the record requested will be given as soon as reasonably possible.
If the request for access is refused, the head of the company or the request liaison officer shall advise the requester in writing of the refusal. The notice of refusal shall state -
adequate reasons for the refusal;
that the requester may lodge an appeal with a court of competent jurisdiction against the refusal of the request (including the period) for lodging such an appeal.
Upon the refusal by the head of the company or the request liaison officer, the deposit paid by the requester will be refunded.
If the head of the company or the request liaison officer fails to respond within thirty days after a request has been received, it is deemed, in terms of section 58 read together with section 56(1) of the Act, that the head of the company or the request liaison officer has refused the request.
The head of the company may decide to extend the period of thirty days ("original period") for another period of not more than thirty days if -
the request is for a large number of records;
the search for the records is to be conducted at premises not situated in the same town or city as the head office of the company;
consultation among divisions or departments, as the case may be, of the company is required;
the requester consents to such an extension in writing;
the parties agree in any other manner to such an extension.
Should the company require an extension of time, the requester shall be informed in the manner stipulated in the prescribed form of the reasons for the extension.
The requester may lodge an appeal with a court of competent jurisdiction against any extension or against any procedure set out in this section.

FEES PAYABLE

The fees for reproduction of a record as referred to in section 52(3) are as follows -
for every photocopy of an A4 size page or part thereof -
for every printed copy of an A4-size page or part thereof -0,75;
for a copy of a stiffy disc - R7,50;
for a copy of a compact disc - R80,00;
for a transcript of visual images for an A4 size page or part thereof -R40,00;
for a copy of visual images - R60,00
for a transcript of an audio record, for an A4-size page or part thereof - R20,00; and
for a copy of an audio record - R30,00.
The request fee payable by a requester, other than a personal requester is R50,00.
If the head of the company or if the request liaison officer is of the opinion that six hours will be exceeded to search, reproduce and/or prepare the information requested, a deposit is payable equal to one?third of an amount of R30 for each hour or part thereof, exceeding the six hours.

INFORMATION OR RECORDS NOT FOUND

If a requested record cannot be found or if the records do not exist, the head of the company or the request liaison officer must, by way of an affidavit or affirmation, notify the requester that it is not possible to give access to the requested record.
The affidavit or affirmation must provide a full account of all the steps taken to find the record or to determine the existence thereof, including details of all communications by the head of the company or the request liaison officer with every person who conducted the search.
This notice will be regarded as a decision to refuse a request for access to the record concerned for the purposes of the Act.
If the record should later be found, the requester must be given access to the record in the manner stipulated by the requester in the prescribed form unless access is refused by the head of the company or the request liaison officer.
The attention of the requester is drawn to the provisions of Chapter 4 of Part 3 of the Act in terms of which the company may refuse, on certain specified grounds, to provide information to a requester.

INFORMATION REQUESTED ABOUT A THIRD PARTY

Section 71 of the Act makes provision for a request for information or records about a third party.
In considering such a request, the company will adhere to the provisions of sections 71 to 74 of the Act.
The attention of the requester is drawn to the provisions of Chapter 5 of Part 3 of the Act in terms of which the company is obliged, in certain circumstances, to advise third parties of requests lodged in respect of information applicable to or concerning such third parties. In addition, the provisions of Chapter 2 of Part 4 of the Act entitle third parties to dispute the decisions of the head of the company or the request liaison officer by referring the matter to the High Court.

UPDATING OF MANUAL

The company will update this manual every six months or at such intervals as required.