The Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA)

In 2000, the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) was passed, as part of an ongoing drive within government to ensure that we South Africans live up to our very own Constitution and Bill of Rights. And it is certainly one of our rights to be able to gain access to information held by the State or, to quote the Act, “…by another person … if that information is required for the exercise or protection of any rights”.

The Act

“To give effect to the constitutional right of access to any information held by the State and any information that is held by another person and that is required for the exercise or protection of any rights; and to provide for matters connected therewith.”

What does this mean for us?

It is important for SNG ARGEN to comply with the Act, and we view this as an opportunity to better co-ordinate the flow of information into and out of the organisation. Therefore, it is not seen as merely a legal agreement issue, but rather as an opportunity to deal with information management in a complete and cohesive manner.

To help us comply, a process and system for handling requests within SNG ARGEN has been put in place, together with the Manual required by the Act as well as forms and procedures for lodging requests, appealing against decisions about requests, and so on.

Protection of Personal Information Policy (POPI)

This notice sets out how we obtain, use, secure and share personal information provided to us as is required by the Protection of Personal Information Act.

Personal Information

Personal information is collected from Financial Service Providers and other Organisations whom we service, or directly from individuals who voluntarily and knowingly submit their information to us.

It is our intention that this policy will protect an individual’s personal information from being prejudiced in any way and that we adhere to all the relevant privacy laws applicable in South Africa.

Cybersecurity and cyber resilience

SNG ARGEN will implement and maintain a comprehensive cyber resilience framework in accordance with the requirements of Joint Standard 2 of 2024: Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience, issued under the Financial Sector Regulation Act (FSRA). We have a framework in place that will ensure the organisation’s ability to anticipate, withstand, respond to, and recover from cyber incidents.

Financial and Intermediary Services (FAIS)

SNG ARGEN holds Category 1 licenses in respect of Employee Benefit Solutions, Banking and Insurance and Financial Loss Calculations for the purpose of potential future business development. However, we do not currently offer any advisory services that are subject to FAIS legislation.

Treating Customers Fairly (TCF)

At SNG ARGEN, treating customers fairly is central to our “We Care” philosophy. We therefore view compliance with TCF principles as essential to our business, not just a regulatory requirement.

If a client should have a complaint , they should submit the complaint in writing to SNG ARGEN. To start the process, a copy of the Complainant Procedure Communication document will be provided to the complainant. The designated Complaint Dispute Facilitator will investigate the complaint and review the file/transaction which gave rise to the complaint, and then revert to the complainant with the preliminary findings and request for supporting documents where necessary within 7 (seven) working days.