Legal expenses paid by Department of Public Works for litigation for a request made under PAIA.

Copies of any and all records, or parts of records, relating to legal expenses paid by the Department between 9 March 2001 and 2 March 2015 for any litigation (including proposed litigation) brought in any Court regarding a decision of the Department or Minister of Public Works about a request for information made under the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (PAIA) setting out the following:
1. The total amount paid (or parts of amounts paid, where only that information is available) whether made to lawyers, Counsel or any witness or other adviser, to defend or conduct that litigation;
2. The total amount paid (or parts of amounts paid, where only that information is available) as a result of:
• a costs order made by a Court, and/or
• an out of court settlement,
for the legal costs of any party or potential party (including amicus curiae) to that litigation;
3. Any internal costs and/or time spent by in-house lawyers or officers responsible for PAIA requests in the Department, to defend or conduct that litigation; and
4. In respect of items 1 to 3 above which litigation the costs/amounts relate to and which calendar year those costs/amounts became payable.

Specifically SAHA notes that this would include records reflecting costs incurred by the department in respect of the following matters:
1. Mail and Guardian Centre for Investigative Journalism v Minister of Public Works (67574/12) [2014] ZAGPPHC 226 (29 April 2014)
[This matter arose out of the Mail and Guardian Centre for Investigative Journalism’s (AmaBhungane) PAIA request to the Department of Public Works for procurement details about President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla estate]; and

2. Mail and Guardian Centre for Investigative Journalism v Minister of Public Works and others Case No. 52268/13
[This matter arose out of AmaBhungane’s PAIA request for a copy of ministerial task team report on investigation into procurement at Zuma’s Nkandla home].