Privacy Policy

Last updated: 4 May 2026

1. Who We Are

Spaza Boost is the responsible party for the processing of your personal information as defined by POPIA.

• Information Officer: Spaza Boost Privacy Team
• Email: privacy@spazaboost.co.za
• Website: www.spazaboost.co.za

2. What Information We Collect

2.1 Consumer Users (Free)

Data	Purpose	Legal Basis
WhatsApp phone number	Service communication	Legitimate interest
Location (when shared)	Finding nearby deals	Consent
Message content	Processing deal requests	Legitimate interest

2.2 Shop Owners (Paid)

Data	Purpose	Legal Basis
WhatsApp phone number	Account & communication	Contract
Shop name & location	Deal discovery by consumers	Contract
Payment information	Subscription billing	Contract
Deal content & photos	Displaying deals to consumers	Contract
Usage statistics	Deal performance analytics	Legitimate interest

2.3 Website Visitors

• IP address and browser type — for security and analytics.
• Page views — to understand how visitors use our site.
• We do not use advertising cookies or third-party trackers.

3. How We Use Your Information

• Service Delivery: Matching consumers with nearby deals, processing registrations, and managing subscriptions.
• Payment Processing: Processing card/EFT payments (via Paystack).
• Communication: Sending deal notifications, subscription reminders, and service updates via WhatsApp.
• Security: Detecting and preventing fraud, spam, and platform abuse.
• Improvement: Analysing anonymised usage data to improve our service.

We will never sell your personal information to third parties.

4. Who We Share Your Information With

Recipient	Purpose	Data Shared
Meta (WhatsApp)	Message delivery	Phone number, messages
Paystack	Card/EFT payments	Payment details (processed by Paystack, not stored by us)
Hosting Provider	Data storage	All platform data (encrypted)

All third-party providers are contractually bound to protect your data. We do not share your data with advertisers, data brokers, or any other third parties.

5. Data Storage & Security

• Your data is stored on secure servers hosted in South Africa.
• All data transmissions are encrypted using SSL/TLS (HTTPS).
• Database access is restricted to authorised personnel only.
• Payment card details are never stored on our servers — they are processed directly by Paystack.
• We regularly review our security practices and update them as necessary.

6. Data Retention

• Consumer data: Retained for the duration of your last interaction plus 12 months, then automatically deleted.
• Shop Owner data: Retained for the duration of your subscription plus 24 months (as required for tax and legal compliance).
• Payment records: Retained for 5 years as required by the Tax Administration Act.
• Website analytics: Anonymised and aggregated — retained indefinitely.

7. Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject, you have the right to:

1. Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
2. Correction: Request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
3. Deletion: Request that we delete your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements).
4. Objection: Object to the processing of your personal information for direct marketing.
5. Portability: Request your data in a machine-readable format.
6. Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.
7. Complaint: Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator (see below).

8. Children's Privacy

Spaza Boost does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18 without parental consent. The Shop Owner registration service is restricted to persons aged 18 and older. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child without appropriate consent, we will delete it promptly.

9. Direct Marketing

• We may send you promotional messages about Spaza Boost services via WhatsApp.
• You may opt out of marketing messages at any time by replying "STOP" to any promotional message.
• Opting out of marketing will not affect your use of the platform or access to deals.

10. Cookies & Website Tracking

Our website uses minimal cookies:

• Essential cookies: Required for basic website functionality.
• We do not use third-party advertising cookies.
• We do not use Facebook Pixel, Google Ads, or similar tracking for advertising purposes.
• The Meta domain verification tag on our site is solely for business verification, not tracking.

11. Cross-Border Data Transfers

Your data is primarily stored in South Africa. However, some processing may involve servers operated by Meta (WhatsApp) and payment providers that may transfer data internationally. In such cases:

• The recipient country must have adequate data protection laws, OR
• The transfer is protected by binding contractual agreements in compliance with POPIA Section 72.

12. Information Regulator

If you are not satisfied with our response to your privacy request, you may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa:

• Phone: 012 406 4818
• Email: inforeg@justice.gov.za
• Website: inforegulator.org.za
• Address: JD House, 27 Stiemens Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2001

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via WhatsApp and posted on our website. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will be revised accordingly.

14. Contact Us

• Privacy enquiries: privacy@spazaboost.co.za
• General support: support@spazaboost.co.za
• Website: www.spazaboost.co.za
• WhatsApp Bot: +27 68 949 8822 (automated deal discovery and shop management only)