PRIVACY POLICY

1. Introduction

The Pan African Information Communication Technology Association (PAICTA) is committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of all individuals who visit our website or engage with our services. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and protect your information in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa and, where applicable, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for users in the European Union.

This policy applies to all data subjects interacting with PAICTA’s digital platforms, including prospective members, learners, partners, donors, and the general public.

2. What Information We Collect

We may collect the following personal information through our website, membership forms, online platforms, and communication tools:

  • Full name and surname
  • ID or passport number
  • Physical and postal address
  • Email address
  • Mobile and/or telephone number
  • Affiliation (e.g., academic institution, company)
  • Professional background (if applicable)
  • Technical information via cookies (e.g., IP address, browser type, device, pages visited, session logs)
  • Submission content (e.g., application responses, uploaded files)

We do not knowingly collect or process the personal data of children without appropriate consent from a parent or legal guardian.

3. How We Use Your Information

Your personal information may be used for the following purposes:

  • Processing and verifying membership or programme applications
  • Communicating with you regarding training, certifications, internships, or organisational updates
  • Issuing certificates, proof of participation, or reference letters
  • Improving our website and services through analytics and user feedback
  • Fulfilling contractual obligations and programme deliverables
  • Ensuring compliance with legal, reporting, and auditing requirements
  • Submitting anonymized or aggregated reports to funders, donors, and regulatory bodies

PAICTA will not use your data for automated decision-making or profiling without your explicit consent.

4. Legal Grounds for Processing

PAICTA processes your personal data lawfully based on:

  • Your explicit consent (e.g., application forms, mailing list opt-ins)
  • Our legitimate interest in advancing PAICTA’s development and training goals
  • Legal or regulatory obligations (e.g., audit trails for funded training)
  • Contractual necessity (e.g., fulfilling services offered under partnership agreements or certifications)

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website may use cookies or similar technologies to:

  • Track and analyze website traffic (e.g., Google Analytics)
  • Enhance navigation and page load performance
  • Support embedded media (e.g., YouTube, social feeds)
  • Enable secure user login and session integrity

You will be prompted to manage cookie preferences when accessing the website. You may also adjust your browser settings to block non-essential cookies.

6. How We Store and Protect Your Data

Personal information is securely stored using encrypted databases and role-based access controls.

  • Access is strictly limited to authorized personnel for operational and reporting purposes only.
  • Data is stored in secure infrastructure located in South Africa, or, where applicable, in GDPR-compliant international cloud environments.
  • Regular security audits, backups, and access logs are maintained.
  • PAICTA has implemented technical and procedural safeguards to prevent unauthorized access, loss, or alteration of data. In case of a breach, affected parties will be notified in accordance with applicable law.

7. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell or lease your personal information to third parties. Data may only be shared with:

  • OEMs, universities, funders, and SETAs as part of registered training, internships, or project collaborations
  • Cloud hosting, email, or data processing service providers under strict contractual agreements (incl. NDAs)
  • Regulatory authorities, courts, or auditors when required by law

All third-party processors are subject to due diligence checks and must comply with PAICTA’s data handling standards.

8. Your Rights

As a data subject, you have the right to:

  • Request access to your personal information held by PAICTA
  • Correct, update, or complete your data
  • Withdraw consent at any time (where processing is based on consent)
  • Request deletion of your data, subject to retention laws and contractual obligations
  • Object to processing for direct marketing purposes
  • Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa or your regional supervisory authority

9. Data Retention

Your personal information will be retained only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes stated above or as required by applicable law, donor requirements, or certification validity.

Records relating to certification, programme participation, and financial transactions may be retained for a minimum of 5 years for audit and compliance purposes.

10. Limitation of Liability

While every effort is made to safeguard your data, PAICTA shall not be held liable for any unauthorised access, security breach, or misuse of personal data that occurs beyond its reasonable control, including third-party breaches.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions or would like to exercise your rights under this policy, please contact:

Data Protection Officer
Pan African Information Communication Technology Association (PAICTA)
1st Floor, Kwantu Towers, Vuyisile Mini Square,
No.3 Govan Mbeki Avenue, Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, South Africa
📧 Email: info@paicta.org