PAIA Manual
Promotion of Access to Information.

Introduction

Ops-Ease (Pty) Ltd is a registered South African company specialising in municipal account administration for the City of Johannesburg and City of Tshwane. We provide services including Rates Clearance Certificate applications, utility account openings and closings, deposit recovery, pre-paid meter conversions, and house plan retrieval and submission.

This Manual is published in compliance with Section 51 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 ("PAIA"), which requires private bodies to make available a guide describing the categories of records they hold and the procedures by which a person may request access to those records.

TA Mkabela has been appointed as the Information Officer of Ops-Ease (Pty) Ltd, responsible for overseeing compliance with both PAIA and the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 ("POPIA").

Contact Details

Guide on How to Use PAIA

A guide explaining how to exercise your rights under PAIA and POPIA is available from the Information Regulator of South Africa. This guide is published in all eleven official languages.

Records Available Without a Formal Request

The following records are publicly available and may be accessed without submitting a formal PAIA request:

• All content published on www.ops-ease.co.za, including service descriptions and pricing
• This PAIA Manual and its associated PAIA Form 2
• Our POPIA Privacy Policy
• Our B-BBEE compliance certificate (available on request)
• Standard service mandate and Power of Attorney template (provided at intake)

Records Held in Terms of Other Legislation

Ops-Ease maintains records as required under the following legislation (non-exhaustive):

• Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997
• Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003
• Companies Act 71 of 2008
• Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002
• Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998
• Financial Intelligence Centre Act 38 of 2001
• Income Tax Act 58 of 1962
• Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995
• Municipal Systems Act 32 of 2000
• Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013
• Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000
• Value Added Tax Act 89 of 1991

Subjects and Categories of Records Held

Corporate and Governance Records

• Company registration documents and Memorandum of Incorporation
• Director and shareholder resolutions
• Operational policies and procedures
• B-BBEE compliance documentation

Financial Records

• Annual financial statements and management accounts
• Tax returns and SARS correspondence
• Invoices, payment records, debtor and creditor ledgers
• PayFast transaction records

Human Resource Records

• Employment contracts and HR correspondence
• Leave, payroll, and remuneration records
• Skills development and training records
• Employment Equity reports where applicable

Client Service Files

• Signed mandates and Powers of Attorney
• Client identity documentation (FICA/KYC)
• Property details, account numbers, and municipal correspondence
• Rates Clearance Certificate applications and certificates issued
• Account opening, closing, and refund processing records
• WhatsApp and email communication logs relating to active cases
• PayFast payment confirmations and invoices

Information Technology and Systems

• Software licences and system access records
• Cybersecurity policies and access logs
• Domain and website registrations

Insurance and Asset Records

• Professional indemnity and public liability cover
• Asset registers and equipment records

Processing of Personal Information Under POPIA

Ops-Ease processes personal information in order to:

• Deliver municipal account administration services to clients
• Submit applications and correspondence to the City of Johannesburg and City of Tshwane on behalf of clients
• Process payments and maintain billing records
• Fulfil employment and human resources obligations
• Comply with statutory and regulatory requirements, including FICA and the Municipal Systems Act
• Manage relationships with service providers, referral partners, and institutional clients
• Maintain internal security, IT systems, and administrative records

Categories of Data Subjects

Data Subject Category	Personal Information Processed
Residential clients	Full name, ID number, property address, municipal account number, banking details for refund processing, contact details
Commercial clients	Entity name, registration number, CIPC documents, authorised signatory details, property details, contact information
Referring attorneys / conveyancers	Name, firm details, matter reference, contact information
Institutional partners	Entity details, contact person, banking details for referral fee processing
Employees	Identity information, employment details, payroll data, leave records, performance information
Website visitors	IP address, browser type, session data, contact form submissions

Security Safeguards

Ops-Ease has implemented the following measures to protect personal information in its possession:

• Encrypted document storage and secure file transmission
• Role-based access controls with password protection
• Multi-factor authentication on cloud and remote systems
• Confidentiality undertakings from all staff and service providers
• Secure destruction of records upon expiry of retention periods
• Regular review of security practices and incident response procedures

Request Procedure

Any person wishing to access a record held by Ops-Ease must follow the procedure set out below. All requests must be submitted using PAIA Form 2, available at www.ops-ease.co.za/paia-form-2.

Your request must include the following:

• A clear description of the record(s) you are requesting access to
• A certified copy of your identity document or passport
• If acting on behalf of another person: written proof of authority (e.g. Power of Attorney)
• Your preferred form of access — electronic copy, printed copy, or inspection in person
• The right you are seeking to exercise and the reason the record is required to protect that right
• Your preferred contact details for the response

Response Time

Ops-Ease will acknowledge receipt of your request within 3 business days and will provide a substantive response within 30 days of receiving a complete, valid request.

Where circumstances require additional time, this period may be extended by a further 30 days in accordance with Section 26(1) of PAIA. You will be notified in writing before the initial period expires, with reasons for the extension provided.

If we intend to refuse access to a record, you will be provided with written reasons and informed of your right to appeal or approach the Information Regulator.

Prescribed Fees

Fees are prescribed by the Information Regulator and are subject to periodic amendment. Current prescribed fees are as follows:

Item	Fee
Request fee (to process your application)	R140.00
Photocopy per A4 page	R2.00 per page
Printed copy (A4 page)	R2.00 per page
Electronic copy (CD or email)	R70.00 per CD / no charge for email
Inspection in person (per hour or part thereof)	R145.00 per hour
Deposit (where preparation exceeds 6 hours)	One-third of access fee in advance

The request fee is payable before processing begins. Access fees are payable before the record is released. We will provide you with a fee notice before any charges are incurred.

Fees may be waived where the request is made by a data subject seeking access to their own personal information, or in other circumstances permitted by the Regulations.

Grounds for Refusing Access

Ops-Ease may refuse access to a record on grounds prescribed in PAIA, including but not limited to:

• The record contains personal information of a third party who has not consented to its disclosure
• Disclosure would constitute an unreasonable invasion of a third party's privacy
• The record is protected by legal professional privilege
• Disclosure would reveal confidential commercial information that could harm a third party's competitive position
• Disclosure would endanger the safety of an individual
• The record is subject to a court order or other legal restriction on disclosure
• Disclosure would jeopardise active legal proceedings to which Ops-Ease is a party

Where access is refused, we will provide written reasons and advise you of your right to seek internal appeal or to approach the Information Regulator.

Availability of This Manual

This Manual is available in the following formats:

• Online at www.ops-ease.co.za/paia-manual at no charge
• By email request to info@ops-ease.co.za
• In printed form at our offices, on request

This Manual will be reviewed and updated at intervals not exceeding three years, or sooner where required by changes to PAIA, POPIA, or our business operations. Any amendments will be published on our website with an updated effective date.