SAHA and SAHRC team up to capacitate Soweto residents on PAIA

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and SAHA have teamed up to promote access to information in Soweto.

The two organisations have come up with a programme that aims to, raise awareness on the right to information as an enabling right to other rights, and, to ensure the sustainability of the intervention, community leaders will be taught how to use of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA).

The programme is broken down into three sessions, with the first being an awareness raising and capacity building session. And the reminder session being follow-up sessions, which will take place over a period of four months.

Friday 16 November saw the first of three sessions take place in Phiri, Soweto. The session was attended by community leaders from various sections in Soweto, including Chiawelo, Meadowlands, Jabulani, Dopsonville, Phiri, and Naledi.  

Participants indicated they need information to assist with issues in their community that include electricity, housing allocation and evictions, youth unemployment, health, safety and security.

And as part of the programme participants will submit PAIA requests to the responsible bodies, including the City of Johannesburg municipality. SAHA and SAHRC will also submit PAIA requests and offer ongoing support to residents of Soweto.

For more information contact the Freedom of Information Programme at SAHA.