25. (1) The information officer to whom a request for access is made or transferred, must, subject to section 26 and Chapter 5 of this Part, as soon as reasonably possible, but in any event within 30 days, after the request is received—
(a)
decide in accordance with this Act whether to grant the request; and
(b)
notify the requester of the decision and, if the requester stated, as contemplated in section 18(2)(e), that he or she wishes to be informed of the decision in any other manner, inform him or her in that manner if it is reasonably possible.
(2) If the request for access is granted, the notice in terms of subsection (1)(b) must state—
(a)
the access fee (if any) to be paid upon access;
(b)
the form in which access will be given; and
(c)
that the requester may lodge an internal appeal or an application with a court, as the case may be, against the access fee to be paid or the form of access granted, and the procedure (including the period) for lodging the internal appeal or application, as the case may be.
(3) If the request for access is refused, the notice in terms of subsection (1)(b) must—
(a)
state adequate reasons for the refusal, including the provisions of this Act relied upon;
(b)
exclude, from such reasons, any reference to the content of the record; and
(c)
state that the requester may lodge an internal appeal or an application with a court, as the case may be, against the refusal of the request, and the procedure (including the period) for lodging the internal appeal or application, as the case may be.
Extension of period to deal with request
26. (1) The information officer to whom a request for access has been made or transferred, may extend the period of 30 days referred to in section 25(1) (in this section referred to as the “original period”) once for a further period of not more than 30 days, if—
(a)
the request is for a large number of records or requires a search through a large number of records and compliance with the original period would unreasonably interfere with the activities of the public body concerned;
(b)
the request requires a search for records in, or collection thereof from, an office of the public body not situated in the same town or city as the office of the information officer that cannot reasonably be completed within the original period;
(c)
consultation among divisions of the public body or with another public body is necessary or desirable to decide upon the request that cannot reasonably be completed within the original period;
(d)
more than one of the circumstances contemplated in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) exist in respect of the request making compliance with the original period not reasonably possible; or
(e)
the requester consents in writing to such extension.
(2) If a period is extended in terms of subsection (1), the information officer must, as soon as reasonably possible, but in any event within 30 days, after the request is received or transferred, notify the requester of that extension.
(3) The notice in terms of subsection (2) must state—
(a)
the period of the extension;
(b)
adequate reasons for the extension, including the provisions of this Act relied upon; and
(c)
that the requester may lodge an internal appeal or an application with a court, as the case may be, against the extension, and the procedure (including the period) for lodging the internal appeal or application, as the case may be.
Deemed refusal of request
27. If an information officer fails to give the decision on a request for access to the requester concerned within the period contemplated in section 25(1), the information officer is, for the purposes of this Act, regarded as having refused the request.
