Updated 30/10/2026

PAIA Manual (Section 51 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, No. 2 of 2000)

PAIA Manual for A1 Studios (Pty) Ltd

1. Introduction

The Promotion of Access to Information Act, No. 2 of 2000 ("PAIA") gives effect to the constitutional right of access to information held by the State or another person when needed for the exercise or protection of any rights. This manual outlines the procedures to request access to records held by A1 STUDIOS (Registration Number: 2025/844990/07), in accordance with Section 51 of PAIA and the Protection of Personal Information Act, No. 4 of 2013 ("POPIA").

2. Company Contact Details (Section 51(1)(a))

• Name of Body: A1 Studios (Pty) Ltd

• Enterprise Type: Private Company

• Registration Number: 2025/844990/07

• Registered Office / Physical Address: Available on request from info@a1studios.org

• Postal Address: Available on request from info@a1studios.org

• Designated Information Officer: Wasim Morris

• Deputy Information Officer / Director: JH Vermaas

• Telephone: +27 (60) 600-6717

• Email: info@a1studios.org (Note: All formal PAIA or POPIA requests must explicitly include 'URGENT: PAIA/POPIA Request' in the subject line to ensure immediate routing to the Information Officer).

• Website: https://a1studios.org

3. The Information Regulator’s Guide (Section 51(1)(b)(i))

The Information Regulator has compiled a formal guide detailing how any person may exercise their rights under PAIA. Requesters can access the official guide or seek assistance from:

• The Information Regulator (South Africa)

• Physical Address: Woodmead North Office Park, 54 Maxwell Drive, Woodmead, Johannesburg, 2191

• Postal Address: P.O. Box 31533, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2017

• General Enquiries: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za

• PAIA Complaints: PAIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za

• Website: https://inforegulator.org.za

4. Records Available Automatically (Section 51(1)(b)(ii))

The following categories of information are automatically available to the public without submitting a formal PAIA request:

• Public promotional material, showreels, and public client portfolios hosted on a1studios.org.

• General marketing brochures and company profiles.

• Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy published on the website.

5. Records Available Under Other Legislation (Section 51(1)(b)(iii))

Where applicable, records are held and available in terms of statutory provisions, including:

• Companies Act No. 71 of 2008

• Consumer Protection Act No. 68 of 2008

• Electronic Communications and Transactions Act No. 25 of 2002

• Income Tax Act No. 58 of 1962 / Tax Administration Act No. 28 of 2011

• Protection of Personal Information Act No. 4 of 2013

• Value Added Tax Act No. 89 of 1991

• Copyright Act No. 98 of 1978

6. Subjects and Categories of Records Held (Section 51(1)(b)(iv))

Access to records listed below must be formally requested and may be refused based on statutory grounds of confidentiality, commercial sensitivity, or personal privacy:

• Statutory & Governance Records: Memorandum of Incorporation, CIPC registration documents, B-BBEE certificates, and director records.

• Financial Records: Annual financial statements, invoices, receipts, tax returns, and banking records.

• Commercial & Client Records: Production briefs, project quotes, client contracts, call sheets, vendor agreements, and talent release forms.

• Media Assets & Production Data: Raw video footage, sound stems, project edit timelines, raw photography, and color grading data (Access to these records is strictly restricted and will generally be refused in accordance with Sections 64 and 68 of PAIA to protect A1 Studios' copyright, trade secrets, and commercial interests, unless explicitly licensed via a separate commercial contract).

• Operations & Information Technology: Website administrative records, internal communications, hosting details, and software licences.

7. Personal Information Processing (Section 51(1)(c) - POPIA)

• Purpose: Managing commercial video production contracts, vendor relations, billing, regulatory tax compliance, website analytics, and direct marketing communications.

• Data Subjects: Individual clients, corporate representatives, freelance film crew, cast/on-screen talent, and website visitors.

• Transborder Flows: Personal information (such as digital video files or cloud backups) may be transferred to international third-party cloud infrastructure (e.g., Cloudflare, Google Workspace). Such transfers are made in line with Section 72 of POPIA, for example where they are needed to respond to a request or to carry out an agreement with the data subject.

• Security Measures: Stringent technical controls, encrypted cloud storage, access credentials, and restricted physical access to raw storage servers.

8. Procedure for Requesting Records (Section 53)

1. Form Submission: The requester must submit a formal request using the prescribed Form 02 (available on the Information Regulator's website) addressed to the Information Officer at info@a1studios.org (The subject line must explicitly state 'URGENT: PAIA/POPIA Request').

2. Required Information: The request must clearly describe the record sought, provide the requester's identity and contact details, and specify the constitutional right being exercised or protected.

3. Prescribed Fees: The prescribed non-refundable request fee must be paid before the request is processed. Please note: Requesters seeking access to their own personal information (a 'Personal Requester' under POPIA) are legally exempt from paying the standard PAIA request fee, though reproduction fees may still apply.

4. Decision Window: The Information Officer will notify the requester within 30 calendar days whether the request is granted or refused, or if an extension is legally required.

9. Grounds for Refusal

A1 Studios is entitled or required to refuse access to records if disclosure would compromise third-party privacy, trade secrets, confidential commercial data, production pricing models, or unreleased intellectual property.

10. International Privacy Rights & Data Transfers (GDPR, CCPA, & Global Laws)

While A1 Studios is headquartered in Pretoria, South Africa, and complies strictly with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), we recognize and uphold the privacy rights of our international clients and website visitors.

For Users in the European Economic Area (EEA) and United Kingdom (GDPR / UK GDPR):

• Lawful Basis for Processing: We process your personal data only when we have a valid legal ground, such as the necessity to fulfill a contract (e.g., a video production agreement), legitimate business interests, or your explicit consent.

• Expanded Data Rights: In addition to standard access and correction rights, you have the right to request data portability (receiving your data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format), the right to restrict our processing of your data, and the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests.

• International Data Transfers: When your personal data is transferred outside the EEA or UK to a jurisdiction not deemed to provide an adequate level of data protection, the transfer is made where it is necessary to perform a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into one, or on another lawful basis under applicable law.

• Supervisory Authority: You maintain the right to lodge a formal complaint with your local data protection Supervisory Authority if you believe your rights have been violated.

For Residents of California (CCPA / CPRA):

• Right to Know and Delete: You have the right to request the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you over the past 12 months, the sources of that information, our business purpose for collecting it, and to request its deletion.

• "Do Not Sell or Share" Guarantee: A1 Studios does not sell your personal information. We also do not share personal information with third parties for cross-context behavioural advertising purposes without your explicit consent.

• Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights. You will not be denied services, charged different prices, or provided a different level of quality for exercising your privacy rights.

Submitting an International Privacy Request:

To exercise any of the rights outlined in this section, please submit a request to info@a1studios.org. (To ensure immediate routing to our Information Officer, please explicitly include 'URGENT: GDPR/CCPA Privacy Request' in the email subject line). We require verification of your identity before processing any request. We will acknowledge and respond to all verified requests within 30 days (for GDPR inquiries) or 45 days (for CCPA inquiries), as mandated by the applicable legislation.