1. INTRODUCTION

The aim of the manual is to assist potential requestors as to the procedure to be followed when requesting access to information/documents from the FBC as contemplated in terms of the Act.

The manual will be amended from time to time and as soon as any amendments have been finalised, the latest version of the manual will be made public.

Any requestor is advised to contact the Information Officer should he/she require any assistance in respect of the utilisation of this manual and/or the requesting of information / documents from the FBC.

The following words will bear the reflected meaning in this manual: -

“the Act” means the Promotion of Access to Information Act, Nr. 2 of 2000, together with all relevant regulations published;

“the LRA” means the Labour Relations Act, Nr 66 of 1995, as amended.

“the/this manual” means this manual together with all annexures thereto as made available at the offices the FBC from time to time;

“FBC” means the Furniture Bargaining Council, a legal persona established in terms of Section 27 of the LRA.

“SAHRC” means the South African Human Rights Commission;

“Information Officer” means the General Secretary of the FBC, or his/her delegated official to which requests for information in terms of the Act, should be addressed in writing.

2. CONTACT DETAILS (Section 51(1)(a) of the Act)

Name of body: Furniture Bargaining Council
Information Officer:
Willem Adolf Janse van Rensburg
Address: North Block, 39 Empire Road, Parktown Ext.
Postal address: PO Box 32789, Braamfontein, 2017
Telephone: (011) 242-9200
Fax: (011) 482-6420
E-mail: council@furnbed.co.za

Website address: www.furnbed.co.za

3. GUIDE IN TERMS OF SECTION 10 OF THE ACT (Section 51(1)(b) of the Act)

A guide, compiled by the South African Human Rights Commission, containing such information as may be required by a person who wishes to exercise any right contemplated in the Act, will be made available in all official languages by the SAHRC and is obtainable from the SAHRC.

Contact details of the South African Human Rights Commission are as follows:

PAIA Unit
The Research and Documentation Department
Private Bag 2700
HOUGHTON
2041

Telephone : +27 11 484 8300
Fax : +27 11 484 0582/1360

Website : www.sahrc.org.za
E-mail : PAIA@sahrc.org.za

4. NOTICE(S) IN TERMS OF SECTION 52(2) OF THE ACT

No notice has been published.

5. INFORMATION / DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE IN

ACCORDANCE WITH OTHER LEGISLATION

(Section 51(1)(d) of the Act)

The FBC keeps information / documents in accordance with the following legislation: -

Pension Funds Act, Nr 24 of 1956

Income Tax Act, Nr 58 of 1962 (Section 75)

Companies Act, Nr 61 of 1973 3

Copyright Act, Nr 98 of 1978

Regional Services Councils Act, Nr 109 of 1985

Value Added Tax Act, Nr 89 of 1991 (Section 65)

Occupational Health and Safety Act Nr 85 of 1993

Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, Nr 130 of 1993 (Section 97)

Labour Relations Act, Nr 66 of 1995

Basic Conditions of Employment Act, Nr 55 of 1998 (Section 26)

Employment Equity Act, Nr 55 of 1998

Skills Development Levies Act, Nr 9 of 1999

Unemployment Insurance Act, Nr 63 of 2001

The above records, in so far as it being of a public nature are available automatically without a person having to request access thereto in terms of the Act, as envisaged in Section 52.

6. DOCUMENTS / INFORMATION HELD BY THE FBC IN TERMS OF THE ACT (Section 51(1)(e) of the Act)

The FBC holds the information / documents listed herein below:

Details relating to the operational, commercial and financial interests of the FBC, its Funds in terms of the LRA and companies owned by these Funds if any.

Commercial contracts

Employer and Employee member data base (personal information of members and their employment, commercial and financial information relating to matters regulated by the council in terms of the LRA, information on contemplated, existing and past disputes, information on collective agreements, and negotiations, mediations and arbitrations conducted under the auspices of the FBC.

Standard Employment Contracts

Employment Equity Reports

Skills Development Reports

The FBC Personnel Records (personal information of past, present and prospective employees of the FBC)

Insurance policies

Rules and regulations relating to Holiday Bonus Fund, the Furniture Bargaining Council Provident Fund, Bargaining Council Sick Benefit Society, and the Furniture Bargaining Council Death and Disability Scheme. 4

The FBC website address is www.furnbed.co.za and it is accessible to anyone with access to the internet. It contains a profile on the FBC, its contact particulars, collective agreement and services rendered.

It is recorded that any and all documents / information not displayed on the website, pertaining to the aforesaid shall only be made available to a requestor subject to the provisions of the Act. No other information held by the FBC is automatically available without a person having to request access in terms of and subject to the provisions of the Act.

A request for information should be in the prescribed form, addressed to the Information Officer and submitted against payment of the prescribed fee.

7. OTHER INFORMATION (Section 51(1)(f) of the Act)

No regulations in terms of this Section have been published.

8. AVAILABILITY OF THE MANUAL (Section 51(3) of the Act)

8.1 This manual is available for inspection at the offices of the FBC, free of charge.

8.2 Copies of this manual may be obtained, subject to the payment of the prescribed fees, at the offices of the FBC.

8.3 This manual can also be accessed on the websites of the SAHRC (www.sahrc.org.za) and the FBC (www.furnbed.co.za) and will be published in the Government Gazette.

8.4 It should be noted that this manual’s accessibility on the website of the SAHRC and in the Government Gazette, does not include the request forms and the fee structure. The request forms and fee structure will be made available on the SAHRC website (www.sahrc.org.za) or the website of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (www.doj.gov.za) (under “regulations”), in future by the departments concerned.

UPDATED TO 6 MARCH 2007

WA JANSE VAN RENSBURG

GENERAL SECRETARY