In order to participate meaningfully in the IRP 2010 consultation process it was necessary to obtain additional information, below is a record of the various attempts to get the required information. Sometimes this involved using the South African access to information mechanisms e.g. PAIA (The Promotion of Access to Information Act).

Civil Society letter to DoE concerning improvements to the IRP process: Letter_to_DoE_re_IRP_process_10_June_2010

DoE response to the letter from civil society dated 10 June 2010: DoE_response_to_10_June_letter

Press release from 350.org dated 24 June 2010 about the lack of transparency around the energy policy advisory groups and requests for information under PAIA: South Africa Press Release 24 June 2010 – Final

Here is the PAIA request referred to above: Request for Access to Info – Dept of Energy – submitted by S Bailey 24June2010

Then the DoE responded by granting access to some of the requested information, but not to the minutes of the IRP Technical Task Team on the grounds that such disclosure might inhibit candid discussion amongst the task team members: DoE PAIA letter to Samantha Bailey 4Aug2010

The information that was supplied is given below:

Terms of reference for the Technical Task Team: DoE_response_(1)_ TOR of Task Team 25Aug2010

Confidentiality agreement (sample):  DoE_response_(2)_Conf Agreement van Staden 25Aug2010

Following this, an appeal against this ruling was submitted: DoE Task Team appeal 8 Oct 2010

DoE turns down appeal against a PAIA ruling

350.org had requested access to minutes from meetings held by the IRP Technical Task Team earlier in 2010. The request was rejected, 350.org appealed against the ruling and the appeal was disallowed on the grounds, amongst others,  that “the disclosure could frustrate the deliberative process ..” DoE_response_to_PAIA_appeal