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Privacy policy

Effective 2 August 2026

This policy explains how Phapano Directory (“Phapano”, “we”, “us”) collects, uses, discloses and protects personal information, in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA).

1. Responsible party

Phapano – The Difference (company registration number 2024/374434/08, non-profit organisation number 316-599 NPO) is the responsible party for the personal information described in this policy. It operates the Phapano Directory. Enquiries and requests may be directed to info@phapano.com.

2. Information we collect

2.1 Visitors

We do not operate user accounts and do not require you to provide personal information to use this website. Our hosting provider automatically records standard technical information, including IP address, date and time of request, pages requested, referring URL and browser type, for the purposes of delivering the service, security and diagnostics.

Search terms entered on this website are processed to return results. We keep a record of what a search did — the number of words, the categories it matched, how many results were returned — but never the words themselves, so a search cannot be read back later.

Search terms do appear in the page address, which means they may also appear in ordinary web server request logs and in your own browser history. Phapano Directory search is designed to work without names or other identifying personal information.

2.2 Listed professionals

Where a professional applies to be listed, we collect the information they submit for that purpose, which may include their name, professional registration category and number, practice details, qualifications, areas of practice, languages, consultation arrangements, fees and the contact details they nominate for referrals.

3. Purpose of processing

We process personal information for the following purposes:

  • To operate, maintain and secure this website.
  • To publish professional listings and enable members of the public to find and contact professionals directly.
  • To verify professional registration status against publicly available records.
  • To respond to enquiries and to administer listings.
  • To comply with legal obligations.

4. Lawful basis

Professional listing information is processed on the basis of the consent given by the professional at the time of application, and on the basis of our legitimate interest in operating a directory of registered professionals. Technical information about visitors is processed on the basis of our legitimate interest in operating and securing the service.

5. Disclosure

We do not sell personal information. We do not share personal information with third parties for marketing purposes. Personal information may be disclosed to service providers who host or support this website, and where disclosure is required by law, court order or a competent authority.

Listing information supplied by professionals is published on this website and is accessible to the public and to search engines.

6. Cross-border transfers

Our hosting and infrastructure providers may process information on servers located outside South Africa. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure that the recipient is subject to laws, binding rules or agreements providing an adequate level of protection.

7. Retention

Listing information is retained for as long as the listing remains published and for a reasonable period afterwards for record-keeping purposes. Technical logs are retained by our hosting provider for a limited period. We delete or de-identify personal information when it is no longer required for the purpose for which it was collected, unless retention is required or permitted by law.

8. Security

We take appropriate, reasonable technical and organisational measures to prevent loss of, damage to, or unauthorised destruction of personal information, and unlawful access to or processing of personal information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Your rights

Subject to the conditions in POPIA, you have the right to:

  • request confirmation of whether we hold personal information about you;
  • request access to that information;
  • request correction, deletion or destruction of information that is inaccurate, irrelevant, excessive, out of date, incomplete, misleading or obtained unlawfully;
  • object to the processing of your personal information;
  • lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.

To exercise these rights, contact info@phapano.com. We may require verification of your identity before acting on a request.

10. Information Regulator

You may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator (South Africa), Woodmead North Office Park, 54 Maxwell Drive, Woodmead, Johannesburg, 2191. Complaints under POPIA may be sent to POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za, and complaints under PAIA to PAIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za.

11. Cookies and tracking

This website does not use advertising cookies or third-party analytics trackers. Fonts and assets are served from our own domain rather than from third-party networks.

12. Children

This website is directed at adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children without the consent of a competent person.

13. Changes

We may update this policy from time to time. The effective date at the top of this page indicates when it was last revised. Continued use of the website after a change constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

14. Contact

info@phapano.com. See also our PAIA manual.