PAIA Manual
Vicinity Agency (Pty) Ltd
Registration number: 2026/387837/07
Prepared in terms of section 51 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (as amended)
Date of compilation: 16 July 2026 Date of last revision: 28 September 2026
1. Acronyms and abbreviations
- DIO — Deputy Information Officer
- IO — Information Officer
- PAIA — Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (as amended)
- POPIA — Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013
- Regulator — The Information Regulator (South Africa)
- Republic — Republic of South Africa
2. Purpose of this manual
This manual is published so that members of the public can:
- Check which categories of records held by Vicinity Agency are available without having to submit a formal PAIA request.
- Understand how to make a request for access to a record, by describing the subjects on which Vicinity Agency holds records and the categories of records held on each subject.
- Know which records are available under other legislation, without going through PAIA.
- Find the contact details of the Information Officer and Deputy Information Officer who can assist with a request.
- Know how to access the Regulator's official Guide on how to use PAIA.
- Understand how Vicinity Agency processes personal information — the purpose of processing, the categories of data subjects and information involved, who it may be shared with, whether it moves outside South Africa, and what security measures protect it.
3. Key contact details for access to information
3.1 Information Officer
Name: Claudia Ann Freese Title: Founder & Director Tel: +27 78 946 1602 Email: claudia@vicinityagency.com
3.2 Deputy Information Officer
Name: Cameron Spangenberg Tel: +27 82 701 5157 Email: cameron@vicinityagency.com
3.3 General access-to-information contact
Email: hello@vicinityagency.com
3.4 Head office
Postal address: 219 Klip Street, Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, 3100, South Africa Physical address: 219 Klip Street, Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, 3100, South Africa Telephone: +27 78 946 1602 Email: hello@vicinityagency.com Website: vicinityagency.com
4. Guide on how to use PAIA
The Information Regulator has, in terms of section 10(1) of PAIA, published a Guide on how to use PAIA, explaining the objects of PAIA and POPIA, how to make a request, what assistance is available, and what remedies exist if a request is refused.
The Guide can be obtained:
- By request to Vicinity Agency's Information Officer, at the contact details above.
- From the Information Regulator's website: inforegulator.org.za/paia.
A copy of the Guide is available for public inspection during normal business hours at Vicinity Agency's head office in English and Afrikaans.
5. Categories of records available without a request
The following records are made available automatically, without a person needing to submit a formal PAIA request:
| Category of record | Type of record | Available on website | Available on request |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company information | Company profile, services overview | X | X |
| Legal/website policies | Privacy Policy, Terms and Conditions, Cookie Policy, this PAIA Manual | X | X |
| Marketing material | Portfolio, case studies | X | X |
6. Records available under other legislation
| Category of record | Applicable legislation |
|---|---|
| Memorandum of Incorporation, company registration documents | Companies Act 71 of 2008 |
| Annual financial statements | Companies Act 71 of 2008 |
| Tax records | Tax Administration Act 28 of 2011 |
| Employment records | Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997; Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 |
| Personal information processing records | Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 |
7. Subjects and categories of records held
| Subject | Categories of records |
|---|---|
| Corporate/governance | Memorandum of Incorporation, registration certificate, company resolutions |
| Finance | Invoices, financial statements, banking details, supplier and client contracts |
| Human resources | Employment contracts, ID documents, payroll records, leave records, qualifications |
| Client and project records | Client contracts, project briefs, creative deliverables, project correspondence |
| Marketing and website | Optional Google Analytics and Meta advertising event data (only after consent), social media content |
| IT and security | System access logs, data backups |
8. Processing of personal information
8.1 Purpose of processing
Vicinity Agency processes personal information to deliver branding, marketing, and web design services to clients; manage relationships with employees, contractors, and suppliers; secure the website; and, only after consent, measure site use and advertising with Google Analytics and Meta. See the Privacy Policy for full detail.
8.2 Categories of data subjects and information processed
| Category of data subject | Personal information that may be processed |
|---|---|
| Clients / prospective clients | Name, company, email, phone number, project details, billing information |
| Website visitors | IP address, browser/device data, security logs, and optional analytics/advertising identifiers after consent (see Cookie Policy) |
| Employees / contractors | Name, ID number, contact details, banking details, tax number, qualifications |
| Suppliers | Company name, contact person, banking details, VAT number |
8.3 Recipients or categories of recipients
| Category of personal information | Recipients / categories of recipients |
|---|---|
| Optional visitor analytics and advertising data (after consent) | Google and Meta |
| Financial records | Accountant / auditors |
| Employee tax and payroll data | South African Revenue Service (SARS); payroll service provider |
8.4 Planned transborder flows of personal information
Some personal information may be processed outside South Africa by cloud-based providers, including Vercel for hosting and, after consent, Google and Meta for analytics and advertising. Processing locations and safeguards depend on provider and account configuration; contact the Information Officer for current details. Vicinity Agency will assess and apply the safeguards required by POPIA section 72 before a restricted transfer.
8.5 Security measures
Vicinity Agency implements reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of personal information under its control, including access controls and password protection, restricted access to personal information on a need-to-know basis, antivirus and anti-malware protection, and regular data backups.
9. Availability of this manual
A copy of this manual is available:
- On Vicinity Agency's website: vicinityagency.com
- At Vicinity Agency's head office, for public inspection during normal business hours
- To any person on request, subject to payment of the prescribed fee for a physical copy
- To the Information Regulator, on request
A fee for a printed copy of this manual, as prescribed under the PAIA Regulations, is payable per A4-size photocopy. Electronic copies (e.g. via the website) are provided free of charge.
10. Updating this manual
Vicinity Agency will review and update this manual on a regular basis, and whenever there is a material change to the categories of records held, how personal information is processed, or contact details.
Issued by:
Claudia Ann Freese Founder & Director, Vicinity Agency (Pty) Ltd