TAXELVES(PTY)LTD PROMOTION OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION MANUAL

Welcome to our Access to Information and Privacy Page

At Tax Elves, we believe in transparency and respect your right to privacy. We know that legal documents can be confusing, so we’ve created this plain-language guide to help you understand how we handle your information.

 Below, you will find our complete Access to Information Manual, which explains the simple steps you can take to request access to the records we hold, in accordance with South Africa's PAIA and POPIA laws. If you have any questions, our Information Officer is always happy to help.

TAX ELVES (PTY) LTD: Access to Information Manual

Prepared in terms of Section 51 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) and the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).

1. Introduction: What is this page?

At Tax Elves (Pty) Ltd, we respect your right to privacy and your right to access information. South African law gives you certain rights regarding information:

• PAIA (Promotion of Access to Information Act): Gives you the right to request information held by public and private bodies if you need it to protect or exercise your rights.
• POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act): Gives you the right to request that we correct, delete, or destroy any of your personal information that we might hold if it is inaccurate, out of date, or held without authorization.

This manual is a step-by-step guide on how you can request access to records and information held by Tax Elves.

2. About Tax Elves

Tax Elves is an accounting and tax advisory firm. We assist clients with company, trust, estate, and personal tax and administration matters. We also compile financial statements, conduct independent reviews, and provide specific factual finding reports.

3. Our Contact Details

If you need to request information, please direct your inquiry to our Information Officer, who is responsible for handling these requests:

• Company Name: Tax Elves (Pty) Ltd
• Company Registration Number: 2022/703944/07
• Information Officer: Christopher Klopper
• Email Address: info@taxelves.co.za
• Phone Number: (+27) 076 575 1607
• Physical Address: 8 Michaels Road, Kraaifontein, 7570
• Postal Address: Same as physical address
• Website: www.taxelves.co.za
  

4. The Official Guide on How to Use PAIA

If you would like to learn more about your rights under PAIA and POPIA, the South African Information Regulator has published an official, easy-to-understand guide. It is available in all official languages. You can find the guide on the Information Regulator's website (www.inforegulator.org.za) or request a copy by emailing enquiries@inforegulator.org.za.

5. Information We Hold

To help you identify the information you might want to request, here is a breakdown of the records we keep:

Records available without a formal request:

At this time, we do not have any categories of records that are automatically available without a formal request. All requests for information must follow the formal procedure outlined in Section 8 of this manual.

Categories of Day-to-Day Records We Hold:

• Company & Administrative: Company registration documents, director details, statutory registers, and internal policies.
• Financial Records: Accounting records, invoices, bank statements, asset registers, and tax clearance certificates.
• Human Resources: Employee contracts, payroll records, and leave policies.
• Client & Operational Records: FICA documents, client financial statements, tax submissions, accounting working papers, and correspondence.

Records we are required to keep by law:

Like all registered businesses, we hold records in accordance with various laws, including (but not limited to):

• Basic Conditions of Employment Act
• Companies Act
• Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act
• Consumer Protection Act
• Cybercrimes Act
• Employment Equity Act
• Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA)
• Income Tax Act & Value Added Tax (VAT) Act
• Labour Relations Act
• Occupational Health and Safety Act
• Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA)
• Unemployment Insurance Act

6. Processing of Personal Information (POPIA)

Even though we have a separate, detailed POPIA Manual, the law requires us to outline a summary of how we process personal information right here in our PAIA manual:

Why we collect data: To render accounting and tax services, comply with FICA, and manage our employees.

Who we collect data from: Clients (names, ID numbers, financial data), Employees (contact details, banking info), and Service Providers.

Who we share it with: Relevant authorities (like SARS and CIPC) and secure third-party software providers (like our accounting software).

Cross-border transfers: We may use secure cloud storage solutions (like Google Workspace or Microsoft) that host data on international servers.

How we keep it safe: We utilize anti-virus software, secure passwords, restricted access protocols, and locked physical cabinets.

Note: For full, comprehensive details on our privacy practices, please read our complete LINK NA ONS POPIA MANUAL

7. Why We Might Refuse a Request

We want to be as transparent as possible, but the law requires us to protect certain sensitive information. We may decline your request if giving you the information would:

• Unreasonably expose the personal information of a third party (including deceased people).
• Reveal the trade secrets, confidential financial details, or commercial information of a third party or of Tax Elves.
• Breach a duty of confidentiality we owe to someone else under a contract.
• Endanger someone's life, physical safety, or the security of property and computer systems.
• Involve records that are legally privileged (e.g., documents meant strictly for court proceedings).
• Harm research being conducted by us or a third party.

Note: Even if a record falls into one of these categories, we are compelled by law to release it if doing so would reveal a serious violation of the law or a severe public safety risk, and if the public interest clearly outweighs the harm of releasing it.

8. How to Request Information (The Procedure)

If you would like to request access to information, please follow these steps:

• Use the Official Form: Download and complete Form 2: Request for Access to Record. This form is freely available on the Information Regulator’s website (www.inforegulator.org.za).
• Submit the Form: Email the completed form to our Information Officer at info@taxelves.co.za.
• Provide Clear Details: Make sure your form clearly states what information you are looking for, your contact details, and what specific right you are trying to exercise or protect by requesting this information.
• Pay the Prescribed Fee: By law, private bodies can charge a standard administrative fee for processing requests and making copies of documents. The Information Officer will notify you of the exact fee and how to pay it before processing your request. The current fee structure is available on the Information Regulator's website.

What happens next?

• We will process your request and get back to you within 30 days.
• If your request is very large or complicated, we may need an additional 30 days, but we will let you know in writing if we need this extension.
• If we grant your request, we will let you know how to access the records and what the final access fee is.
• If we decline your request, we will provide you with the specific legal reasons why.
  

9. Contacting the Information Regulator

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your request, or if you have general complaints regarding your privacy and information rights, you have the right to contact the Information Regulator directly:

• Physical Address: JD House, 27 Stiemens Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2001
• Postal Address: P.O Box 31533, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2017
• General Enquiries: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za
• Complaints: PAIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za
• Website: www.inforegulator.org.za
  

This Manual is compiled on behalf of TAX ELVES (Pty) Ltd by Christopher Klopper (Director).

For Downloading POPIIA & PAIA Forms Please see links below :