Your privacy is important to us. To better protect your privacy, we provide this notice explaining our information practices and the choices you can make about the way your information is collected and used.

Confidentiality affects everyone:  We collect, store, and use large amounts of personal information every day, which may be paper-based or computer-based.

We take precautions to keep the personal information disclosed to us secure, and we will not intentionally disclose such information to third parties for commercial purposes. To prevent unauthorised access, maintain personal information accuracy, and ensure the appropriate use of information, we have put in place electronic safeguards, as well as internal organisational procedures to safeguard and secure the information that you provide.

An important part of this duty is to ensure that we properly collect, access, use, share, and dispose of children’s information, which is a special category of special information (SI). We exercise care when handling all personal information but  SI  requires special handling because of the increased risk of harm to an individual if it is compromised. We cannot collect or process the personal information of a child without the written consent of a competent person (mother/father/guardian/caregiver). Only employees who have a legitimate need in the performance of their duties may have access to the information.

2.1 What personal information do we collect?

We collect and hold information such as (but are not limited to) names, addresses, contact information, occupations, dates of birth, and any other information which assists us in assessing your application and complying with our legal obligations. We collect personal information through your application, telephone conversations, emails, registering, and transacting on our website and from third parties.

It is essential that we have accurate and up-to-date information about you so that we can give you the best possible care. Please check that your personal details are correct whenever you visit us and inform us of any changes. This minimises the risk of you not receiving important correspondence.

2.2 Purpose for which the information is being collected.

The cardinal purpose for which we process your Personal Information is to ensure that we can provide you with exemplary service, administrate the service that is provided, and communicate with you.

Further to the above, we may process your Personal Information, for among other things, the following:

• to conduct market research;
• to compile statistical and/or data analyses;
• to give effect to any communication received from you, which may include instructions, requests, queries, complaints, and questions;
• to update our records and/or your contact details;
• for the administrative, marketing (including direct marketing), planning, product or service development, quality control, survey, and research purposes of us, its related bodies corporate, contractors, and employees or service provider; and
• generally to render our Services.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Personal Information shall be exclusively collected for the specific, explicitly defined, and lawful purpose of conducting our business.

The Company may also disclose your personal information for law enforcement and other legitimate reasons although we shall do our best to assure its continued confidentiality to the extent possible. 

 2.3 Is the supply of the information voluntary or mandatory?

Supplying certain types of information is mandatory.
if you

• refuse to provide your personal information which we request;
• do not consent to us handling your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Notice; or
• revoke any consent regarding the handling of your personal information by us which you have previously given,

then such refusal or revocation of previously given consent might prevent us from performing our services, and this might in turn, depending on your circumstances, adversely affect you.

2.4 Transfer the information to a third country.

We may transfer your information to a Cloud database outside your country of domicile, potentially including countries that may not require an adequate level of protection for your Personal Information compared with that provided in your country.

2.5 Limits on collection 

We collect only the information that is required to provide our service, administrate the service that is provided, and communicate with you. We do not collect any other information or allow information to be used for other purposes, without your express (i.e., verbal or written) consent – except where authorised to do so by law.

3.1 Disclosure to our agents and sub-contractors

Your personal information may be shared with our agents and sub-contractors and selected third parties who process the information on our behalf.

3.2 Disclosure to third parties

We may also disclose your personal information to third parties under certain circumstances. If you do not wish us to disclose this information to third parties, please contact us at the contact details set out above. We may, however, not be able to provide products or services to you if such disclosure is necessary.

3.3 Disclosures authorised by law

There are limited situations where we are legally required to disclose your personal information without your consent. These situations include (but are not limited to) reporting infectious diseases and fitness to drive, or by court order.

3.4 Disclosures to all other parties:

Your express consent is required before we will disclose your information to third parties for any purpose other than to provide you with care or unless we are authorised to do so by law.

3.5 Can you withdraw consent?

You can withdraw your consent to have your information shared with other third parties at any time, except where the disclosure is authorised by law.

4.1 How do you access the personal information held by this office?

You have the right to access your record in a timely manner. If you request a copy of your record, one will be provided to you at a reasonable cost. If you wish to view the original record, one of our staff must be present to maintain the integrity of the record, and a reasonable fee may be charged for this access. Client requests for access to their record can be made in writing to our Information Officer in terms of our Promotion of Access to Information Act, Section 51 Manual (see office address at top of Policy).

4.2 Limitations on access

In extremely limited circumstances you may be denied access to your records, but only if providing access would create a significant risk to you or another person.

4.3 What if you feel your record is not accurate?

We make every effort to ensure that all of your information is recorded accurately. If an inaccuracy is identified, you can request that a note be made to reflect this on your file or that the records be updated.

5.1 How secure is your information?

Safeguards are in place to protect the security of your information. These safeguards include a combination of physical, technological, and administrative security measures that are appropriate to the sensitivity of the information. These safeguards are aimed at protecting personal information against loss or theft, as well as unauthorised access, disclosure, copying, use, or modification.

5.2 What is our communications policy?

We protect personal information regardless of the format. Specific procedures are in place for communicating by phone, email, fax, and post/courier.

5.3 How long do we keep information?

We retain records as required by law and professional guidelines.

5.4 How do we dispose of information when it is no longer required?

When information is no longer required, it is destroyed securely, according to set procedures that govern the storage and destruction of personal information.

If you believe that this office has not replied to your access request or has not reasonably handled your personal information, please address your concerns first with our Information Officer. You may also choose to make a complaint to the Information Regulator