Privacy Policy | Stokvel Portal

1. Introduction

Welcome to Stokvel Portal ("the Platform", "we", "our", "us").

Stokvel Portal is an online platform designed to assist stokvel groups, savings clubs, burial societies, and community financial groups with contribution tracking, member management, accounting, payment verification, and related financial administration services.

We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa, including the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 ("POPIA").

By accessing or using the Platform, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following information:

Personal Information

Full names
Identity/passport numbers
Telephone numbers
Email addresses
Physical addresses
Banking-related information
Profile photographs
Payment proof uploads

Organization Information

Stokvel or organization names
Member lists
Contribution records
Financial journals and reports
Uploaded supporting documentation

Technical Information

IP addresses
Browser type
Device information
Cookies and session data
Login activity

3. Purpose of Collection

We collect personal information for purposes including:

Managing stokvel operations
Recording contributions and disbursements
Uploading and validating proof of payments
Communicating with users
Preventing fraud and unauthorized access
Improving platform performance
Legal and regulatory compliance

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal information:

With user consent
To fulfill contractual obligations
To comply with legal obligations
For legitimate operational interests

5. Sharing of Information

We do not sell personal information.

Information may be shared:

With authorized organization administrators
With service providers supporting the Platform
Where required by law
To prevent fraud or unlawful activity

6. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal information, including:

Encrypted HTTPS connections
Password protection
Role-based access controls
Server security controls
Regular backups

Despite reasonable measures, no system can guarantee absolute security.

7. Data Retention

Information will be retained only for as long as necessary:

To provide services
For legal compliance
For accounting and audit purposes
For dispute resolution

8. User Rights

Users may:

Request access to personal information
Request correction of inaccurate information
Request deletion where legally permissible
Object to certain processing activities

Requests may be sent to the contact details provided below.

9. Third-Party Services

The Platform may integrate with third-party services including:

Hosting providers
Payment providers
Email service providers
Analytics services

We are not responsible for third-party privacy practices.

10. Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy at any time.

Updated policies will be published on the Platform.

11. Contact Information

For privacy-related queries:

Email: privacy@stokvelportal.com
Website: Stokvel Portal