PAIA
MANUAL
Section 51 Manual — Effective date: 26 May 2026
This manual is published in terms of Section 51 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA). PAIA gives you the right to request access to records held by private bodies where access is required to exercise or protect a right.
Trading name: Our House
Physical address: Bridge Street, South End, Gqeberha, 6001, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Postal address: Bridge Street, South End, Gqeberha, 6001
Email: hello@thisisourhouse.co.za
Website: thisisourhouse.co.za
The Information Officer is responsible for handling PAIA requests and POPIA compliance on behalf of Our House.
Information Officer: The Owner / Operator, Our House
Contact: hello@thisisourhouse.co.za
The Information Officer has been registered with the Information Regulator as required under POPIA.
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has compiled a guide on how to use PAIA. This guide is available from the SAHRC:
South African Human Rights CommissionThe Research and Documentation Department
Private Bag 2700, Houghton, 2041
Tel: 011 877 3600
PAIA@sahrc.org.za
The following categories of records are available on our website without a formal PAIA request:
Our House holds the following categories of records, which may be accessible via a formal PAIA request where the requester can demonstrate a right to exercise or protect:
Customer records
- Ticket purchase and booking records
- Email correspondence with customers
- Marketing consent records
Financial records
- Transaction records and invoices
- Payment provider records (held by third-party provider)
Operational records
- Event records and schedules
- Staff and contractor agreements
- Licences and regulatory permits (liquor licence, etc.)
Technical records
- Website server logs (retained for 90 days)
- Access control and security logs
To request access to a record, submit a written request by email to our Information Officer at hello@thisisourhouse.co.za with the subject line “PAIA Request”.
Your request must include:
- Your full name, contact details, and a copy of your ID
- A description of the record(s) you are seeking
- The right you are seeking to exercise or protect, and why the record is needed
- Your preferred format for receiving the record (email, printed copy)
- If you are acting on behalf of another person, written authorisation from that person
You may also submit your request using the official PAIA Form C, available from the SAHRC website. However, a clearly written email containing the above information is sufficient.
We will acknowledge receipt of your request within 5 business days and respond within 30 days of receiving it, as required by PAIA. We may request an extension of a further 30 days in exceptional circumstances, and will notify you if this is necessary.
PAIA permits us to charge a request fee and an access fee. As a small private body, we currently waive the request fee. Access fees (e.g. for photocopying or printed records) will be charged at the rates prescribed in the PAIA Regulations, which are available from the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.
No fee is charged where the request relates solely to your own personal information.
We may refuse a PAIA request on the grounds set out in sections 63–70 of PAIA, including where:
- The record contains personal information of a third party who has not consented
- Disclosure would constitute a breach of confidentiality
- The record is privileged from production in court
- Disclosure would be harmful to commercial or financial interests
- The request is manifestly frivolous or vexatious
If we refuse a request, we will inform you in writing of the grounds for refusal and your right to appeal or complain to the Information Regulator.
If your PAIA request is refused, you may:
- Apply to the Information Regulator for an investigation (Section 74 of PAIA)
- Apply to a court for a mandatory order compelling disclosure
JD House, 27 Stiemens Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2001
inforeg@justice.gov.za