PAIA Section 51 Manual

Published in terms of Section 51 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA) | Version 1.0

1. Introduction

This manual is published in terms of Section 51 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA), as required by the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA). It provides information about ARGUS Flight Center and how to request access to records held by the platform.

2. Contact Details of Information Officer

  • Name: As configured per UASOC
  • Email: As configured per UASOC
  • Physical address: As configured per UASOC

Each UASOC (Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operator Certificate) holder using ARGUS Flight Center designates its own Information Officer. The Information Officer's details can be found in the UASOC settings within the platform.

3. Guide on How to Use PAIA (Section 10)

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) compiles a guide on how to exercise the right to access information in terms of PAIA. The guide is available from the SAHRC.

Contact: https://www.sahrc.org.za

4. Categories of Records Held

  • Personnel records: User accounts (name, email, role assignments)
  • Pilot records: Certification data, ID numbers, medical certificates, flight logs, endorsements
  • UASMT records: Technician authorisations, qualifications, maintenance logs
  • Operational records: Flight records, mission data, device telemetry, geofences
  • Safety records: Occurrence reports, hazard registers, risk assessments, safety audits
  • Compliance records: UASOC certificates, insurance policies, ICASA authorisations, landowner consents
  • System records: Audit logs, notification history, data processing consents

5. Records Available Without Request

The following records are publicly available without the need for a formal request:

6. Records Available on Request

  • Personal data held about a data subject (via DSAR)
  • Audit log entries related to the requester
  • Flight records for specific pilots

7. Request Procedure

  • Submit a Data Subject Access Request through the ARGUS platform (Settings → Data Requests), or
  • Contact the Information Officer in writing

Your request should include:

  • Full name
  • ID number (for verification)
  • Description of records requested

A response will be provided within 30 days per PAIA Section 56.

8. Fees

The fees prescribed by regulation may apply for access requests. The current prescribed fees are available from the Information Regulator.

9. Grounds for Refusal

Access may be refused on grounds set out in PAIA Chapter 4, Part 2, including:

  • Mandatory protection of personal information of third parties (Section 63)
  • Records required for regulatory compliance (CATS Part 101)
  • Records that are legally privileged

10. Availability of This Manual

This manual is available at /paia-manual and may be requested from the Information Officer. A copy may also be obtained from the Information Regulator.