Privacy Policy

We collect information you provide directly:

• Account information (name, email, phone number)
• Verification documents (ID number, selfie, location)
• Listing content (titles, descriptions, images, pricing)
• Communication records and payment information handled by Ozow and payment providers

We also collect device/browser info, IP address, and usage data automatically.

Error monitoring: when the site breaks we use Sentry to record what went wrong. For a small share of visits, and for visits where an error happens, it records a replay of the page with all text masked and images blocked.

Showroom location: when you open a page with a showroom, we estimate your province from your internet connection so we can show local posts first. The network address is used only while the page loads and is not stored. If you pick a province yourself, it is remembered in a cookie on your device.

View counting: to count views fairly we keep a random browser identifier and a one-way hash of your network address for 90 days. These cannot be turned back into your address and are never shown to post owners, who only see totals.

ID numbers, ID document images, selfies, phone numbers, and location data are used to run verification checks, reduce fraud, review account safety, and support legal compliance.

Verification is reviewed by our own team, supported by format checks, an SMS provider and secure file storage. We do not check IDs against Home Affairs or run criminal or credit checks.

Businesses can also ask for two optional stickers. CIPC registered: we check CIPC's records that the company is In Business and that the person running the profile is a director or confirmed representative. Seen by VerifyMzansi: we see the business operating, in person or on a live video call. Without these stickers, business-profile signals refer only to the person running the profile.

Verification does not guarantee that a person, business profile, product, rental, event, job, or transaction is safe. It only means specific platform checks were completed or reviewed.

Anyone can browse VerifyMzansi without signing in. Signing in is only needed to post.

• Your public name is your first name and the first letter of your surname (for example, Thando D.). Only our staff see your full legal name.
• Businesses: the phone, WhatsApp and email a business chooses to show are visible to every visitor. A street address shows only if the business publishes it; otherwise we show suburb, city and province.
• Private sellers and event posters: your number stays hidden behind a Show number button. Any visitor can tap it; each tap is limited per visitor and logged so we can stop number harvesting.
• Your ID number, ID images, selfie and verification files are never shown publicly.

We retain account and listing data while your account is active. After account deletion, some records may be retained for fraud prevention, accounting, dispute handling, legal obligations, or platform integrity before deletion or anonymisation.

ID and selfie files are deleted 30 days after an approved review, and 30 days after upload if rejected; unfinished uploads are deleted after 90 days. A fraud, dispute, security or legal hold can pause deletion.

Security and moderation audit logs are kept for up to 24 months.

When you delete your account, your posts, enquiries and media are deleted with it. Payments and invoices are kept for tax and accounting, no longer linked to you. Limited records may remain where the law, abuse prevention or an unresolved dispute requires it.

As a data subject in South Africa, you have the right to:

• Access your personal information we hold
• Request correction or deletion of your data
• Object to processing of your data
• Request information about the parties who received your personal information
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator

We provide a signed-in data-subject request form for access, correction, deletion, objection, and recipient-information requests.

We use encryption in transit, restricted verification storage, signed access paths, audit controls, and operational access limits for sensitive verification files.

Only authorised personnel with a platform safety, support, verification, legal, or security reason should access ID, selfie, or location evidence.

If we discover a data breach that may affect your personal information, we will investigate, contain the incident, preserve evidence, notify affected users and/or regulators where required, and publish follow-up guidance when appropriate.

We may use trusted providers for hosting, storage, identity/KYC workflows, SMS delivery, email, payments, security tooling, analytics, and operational support.

Providers should receive only the information needed to deliver their service and are expected to protect it under appropriate contractual, security, and POPIA-aligned obligations.