Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

WeNation South Africa ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your personal information and respecting your privacy rights. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) No. 4 of 2013.

By using our RSVP system or attending our events, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the processing of your personal information as described herein.

2. Responsible Party

Organization: WeNation South Africa

Contact Email: admin@wenationsa.org

Website: https://wenationsa.org

Information Officer: WeNation Admin Team

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Personal Information

When you RSVP for our events, we collect the following personal information:

Name: Your full name for identification and event registration
Email Address: To send you event confirmations, updates, and communications
Phone Number: For event reminders and urgent notifications (South African format)
Dietary Requirements: To accommodate your needs during the event
Number of Guests: For capacity planning and venue management

3.2 Automatically Collected Information

We automatically collect certain technical information when you use our system:

IP Address: For security, fraud prevention, and consent verification
Browser Information: User agent string for technical support and security
Timestamps: Date and time of your registration and interactions
Session Data: For maintaining your login session (admin users only)

3.3 Consent Records

We maintain detailed records of your consent preferences, including:

Consent for event processing (required)
Consent for marketing communications (optional)
Consent for SMS notifications (optional)
Timestamp, IP address, and method of consent

4. How We Use Your Information

We process your personal information for the following purposes:

4.1 Event Management (Required Processing)

Processing your RSVP and event registration
Sending event confirmations and tickets
Managing check-in and attendance
Accommodating dietary requirements
Communicating event updates and changes

4.2 Marketing Communications (Optional - Requires Consent)

Sending information about future WeNation events
Newsletters and updates about our initiatives
Invitations to participate in surveys

4.3 SMS Notifications (Optional - Requires Consent)

Event reminders via SMS
Urgent event updates
Check-in confirmations

4.4 Security and Compliance

Preventing fraud and abuse
Monitoring security events
Complying with legal obligations
Maintaining audit logs

5. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information based on the following lawful grounds:

Consent: You have given explicit consent for event processing, and optionally for marketing and SMS communications
Legitimate Interest: Security monitoring, fraud prevention, and system integrity
Legal Obligation: Compliance with POPIA and other applicable laws

6. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties.

We may share your information with the following categories of recipients:

Service Providers: Email delivery services (SMTP), SMS providers (with consent), PDF generation services
Event Venues: Name and guest count for capacity planning
Legal Authorities: If required by law or to protect our legal rights

All third-party service providers are contractually obligated to maintain the confidentiality and security of your personal information and may only use it for the purposes we specify.

7. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information:

Encryption: HTTPS/TLS encryption for all data transmission
Password Security: Bcrypt hashing for all passwords
Access Controls: Role-based access with session management
CSRF Protection: Tokens on all forms to prevent cross-site attacks
Rate Limiting: Protection against brute force attacks
Audit Logging: Comprehensive security event tracking
Secure Headers: X-Content-Type-Options, X-Frame-Options, CSP
Regular Updates: Security patches and system updates

8. Data Retention

Retention Period: 90 Days After Event

We retain your personal information for 90 days after the event date to allow for post-event communications, surveys, and follow-up activities. After this period, your information is automatically deleted from our active systems.

8.1 Marketing Consent

If you have consented to marketing communications, we will retain your contact information until you withdraw your consent or request deletion. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in our emails or by contacting us.

8.2 Legal Requirements

In some cases, we may be required to retain certain information longer to comply with legal, regulatory, or accounting requirements.

9. Your Rights Under POPIA

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

9.1 Right to Access

You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.

9.2 Right to Correction

You have the right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information.

9.3 Right to Deletion

You have the right to request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements.

9.4 Right to Object

You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information for direct marketing purposes.

9.5 Right to Withdraw Consent

You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time where we rely on consent to process your information.

9.6 Right to Lodge a Complaint

You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator if you believe your rights have been violated.

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, you can:

Visit our Data Rights Portal
Email us at admin@wenationsa.org
Use the unsubscribe link in our marketing emails

We will respond to your request within 30 days as required by POPIA.

10. Cookies and Tracking

Our RSVP system uses the following cookies:

Session Cookies: Essential for maintaining your login session (admin users). These are deleted when you close your browser.
CSRF Tokens: Security tokens stored in your session to prevent cross-site request forgery attacks.

We do not use analytics cookies, advertising cookies, or third-party tracking scripts on our RSVP system.

11. Children's Privacy

Our events and RSVP system are not directed to children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If a parent or guardian becomes aware that their child has provided us with personal information without consent, please contact us immediately.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by:

Posting the updated policy on this page with a new "Last Updated" date
Sending an email to registered users (if applicable)
Requesting renewed consent if required by law

Your continued use of our services after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: