Where the appeal involves information relating to a third party, the head of appeal must give notice and allow for representations from the affected third parties in terms of Section 37 of the Bill. This notice must be given within 10 working days of receiving the appeal from the applicant. The Commission must make a final decision within 30 days of the lodging of the appeal21. The Commission may confirm the decision being appealed against or substitute a new decision for it. If the appeal decision is to grant a request for access, the notice shall state that access shall be granted after the expiry of 30 days of the date of the notice if no appeal is lodged against such decision within that period22. This effectively means that an appeal process can prolong access to information by a period of 60 days. Where the appeal is against refusal to access information necessary to safeguard the life or liberty of a person, the Commission must come up with expedited procedures for hearing and finalising such appeals. This is in terms of Section 36(5) of the Bill. In terms of Section 38 (6) of the Bill, if the Commission fails to give notice of the decision on an appeal to the appellant within 30 days of receiving the appeal, it shall be deemed to have determined the appeal in favour of the appellant. The ZMC is tasked with the promotion of the access to information principles embodied in this law. This responsibility includes monitoring the implementation of this law and ways in which entities can improve their access to information regimes. Additionally, the ZMC must include statistics on information requests in its annual reports to Parliament. 4.4 Offences under this Act The Bill, unlike is the case with the Model Law, fails to establish any offences. Section 39 of the Bill states that no criminal or civil liability shall attach to any person with respect to anything done or omitted to be done in good faith and without gross negligence in the exercise or performance or purported exercise or performance of any function in terms of this law. On the other hand, the Model Law contains the following offences: refusal to accept a request; failure to respond to request within stipulated time frame; vexatious denial of request; giving incorrect, incomplete 21 22 Section 38(3)(a) of the Bill Section 38(5)(d) of the Bill 17