Cape Town: The Legal Services Department of the City of Cape Town hosted a Public PAIA Awareness Campaign at the Cape Town Civic Centre on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. It raised awareness about the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), which provides everyone with the statutory right of access to information held by the State.
The Access to Information Unit will be assisting attendees with any queries they may have. The event will be observed from 08:30 a.m. to 05:30 a.m. as visitors are welcomed to visit at any time during this slot.
Access to Information Unit of the City of Cape Town has dedicated walk-in public office, namely the Access to City Records Office in the Cape Town Civic Centre where the unit assists the public with PAIA process. This includes the guidance on completing and submitting PAIA forms, liaising with the relevant city line departments for the provision of records, as well as considering the decisions on outcomes of PAIA applications.
It provides and online service to submit requests and more information which is also available on the website of the city. The campaign intends to raise awareness of the Promotion of Access to Information Act-2 of 2000 and to inform members of the public of their rights in terms of the Act.
This initiative forms part of the City’s efforts to engage residents about the PAIA process and to create awareness that any person can apply to the City of Cape Town for access to information.
PAIA gives effect to Section-32 of the Constitution, which confirms the public’s right of access to information held by the State, with the exception of records held by the Cabinet, Courts and by members of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures. Therefore, the information in the City’s possession is subject to PAIA.
The act provides voluntary and mandatory mechanisms or procedures to enable people to obtain information swiftly, for free, and effortlessly.