PAIA MANUAL FOR HASHTAG CREATIVA (PTY) LTD
(Operating as HOWZIT PORTAL)
Last Updated: September 2026
Prepared in terms of Section 51 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, No. 2 of 2000 (PAIA) and updated in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, No. 4 of 2013 (POPIA).
1. AN INTRODUCTION TO PAIA AND POPIA
The Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) gives persons the constitutional right of access to records held by public and private bodies, where that access is required for the exercise or protection of any legal right. The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) similarly empowers persons to manage, correct, and request the destruction of personal information held about them.
This manual provides the framework for the public to request records held by Hashtag Creativa (Pty) Ltd (operating as Howzit Portal), and is compiled in terms of Section 51 of PAIA. The manual also serves as the reference for how we handle POPIA data subject requests.
2. COMPANY OVERVIEW AND HEAD DETAILS
Hashtag Creativa (Pty) Ltd operates Howzit Portal, an interactive digital directory and exposure platform cataloguing and connecting consumers with businesses, service providers, and schools across all nine provinces of South Africa, and displaying picture advertisements for advertisers.
- Registered Business Name: Hashtag Creativa (Pty) Ltd
- Trading Name: Howzit Portal
- Website: https://www.howzitportal.co.za
- Email: help@howzitportal.co.za
- Contact Number: 065 941 5624
- Postal & Physical Address: Cape Town, South Africa
- Head of Body / Information Officer: The Appointed Information Officer
3. THE GUIDE OF THE INFORMATION REGULATOR
A comprehensive guide describing how to exercise PAIA and POPIA rights is maintained by the Information Regulator of South Africa. You may inspect or query the official guide by contacting:
- Physical Address: JD House, 27 Stiemens Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2001
- Website: https://inforegulator.org.za
- General Emails: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za / PAIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za
4. RECORDS AUTOMATICALLY AVAILABLE WITHOUT A PAIA REQUEST
The following items are publicly available on our platform and do not require a formal PAIA request:
- Public business listings, schools directory listings, categories, geographic locations, and related tags.
- The generalized Howzit Portal operational FAQ documentation.
- Public marketing materials, platform terms of service (Terms and Conditions), Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, Website Disclaimer, and this published manual.
5. DESCRIPTION OF RECORDS HELD BY HASHTAG CREATIVA (PTY) LTD
The following records are generated and securely maintained during our operations. Accessing these requires a formal request as outlined in Section 6:
- Operational & Platform Records: Core user databases, manually registered client accounts, claimed profiles, verification documents, school records, and back-end system parameters.
- Advertising Records: Advert placements, artwork, advertiser contact details, placement periods, expiry dates, and advert performance statistics.
- Financial Records: Annual financial records, operational tax filings, internal accounting invoices, payment-gateway transaction records, and vendor histories.
- Internal Legal Documents: Formal commercial contracts, vendor agreements, intellectual property records, and corporate registration certificates.
- Marketing Data: Newsletter mailing lists, opt-in records, promotional structures, and performance matrices.
- Enquiry and Lead Records: Enquiry and quote-request submissions forwarded to the administrative team, and correspondence with listed providers.
6. FORMAL ACCESS REQUEST PROCEDURE
To request access to a private record held by us, the requester must follow these steps:
- Download and complete the official Form 2 (Request for Access to Record) from the Information Regulator's website.
- Submit the fully completed form directly to help@howzitportal.co.za, addressing the document clearly to the Information Officer.
- The request must provide sufficient detail to enable the Information Officer to identify:
- The specific records requested.
- The exact identity and contact parameters of the requester.
- Which legal right the requester is seeking to exercise or protect.
- Fees: A statutory request fee may be levied before processing can begin. If the request is granted, access fees for reproduction, time, and search costs will be calculated and communicated.
7. GROUNDS FOR REFUSAL OF ACCESS
Hashtag Creativa (Pty) Ltd may legally refuse access to private records under specific circumstances to protect others, including:
- Protecting the fundamental personal privacy or commercial records of a third party (natural or juristic person).
- Protecting privileged trade secrets, copyrighted software architectures, or proprietary operational structures belonging to Howzit Portal.
- Protecting confidential communication chains between the business and external legal representatives.
- Protecting safety protocols securing computing infrastructure, databases, and platform networks.
8. AVAILABILITY AND REVISION OF THIS MANUAL
This manual is available for inspection on our core portal (https://www.howzitportal.co.za) and can be requested via email. It is reviewed regularly to adapt to active regulatory adjustments.