BoerWol Privacy & POPIA Policy

1. Information BoerWol Collects

BoerWol only collects information that is necessary for the operation of the platform.

Personal Information

• Full Name
• Contact Details (Email, Phone / WhatsApp)
• Farm / Business Name
• Physical Address or Farm Location
• Identification or Company Registration (optional, for verification)
• Banking Details (only when required for settlements or payments)

Business & Transaction Information

• Wool bale data, livestock listings, crop listings
• Pricing, weights, grades, certificates, and documents
• Job records, invoices, and settlement statements
• Communication logs within the platform

Technical Information

• Login activity
• Device/browser type
• IP address (for security and fraud prevention)

2. How BoerWol Uses Information

BoerWol uses collected information strictly to:

• Provide platform services (recording, listings, settlements, invoicing)
• Verify user identity and reduce fraud
• Facilitate communication between buyers and sellers
• Generate statements, invoices, and reports
• Improve platform performance and user experience
• Comply with legal and regulatory obligations
• Provide customer support

3. What BoerWol Does NOT Do

BoerWol will never:

• Sell personal information to third parties
• Share banking details with unrelated parties
• Use user data for advertising outside the platform without consent
• Access private data without legitimate operational or legal reason
• Modify or manipulate user records without audit trace
• Claim ownership of uploaded documents or listings

4. Sharing of Information

Information may only be shared when necessary:

• Between buyers and sellers involved in a transaction
• With payment processors or financial institutions for settlements
• With legal authorities when required by law
• With service providers who support the platform infrastructure (under strict confidentiality agreements)

BoerWol does not share user data for marketing resale or data-brokering.

5. Data Security

BoerWol implements reasonable technical and organisational safeguards, including:

• Secure servers and encrypted connections (HTTPS/SSL)
• Access controls and user authentication
• Regular backups and monitoring
• Limited staff access on a need-to-know basis

While every effort is made to secure information, no digital platform can guarantee absolute security. Users are encouraged to protect their passwords and login details.

6. User Rights Under POPIA

Users have the right to:

• Request access to their personal information
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Request deletion where legally permissible
• Object to certain processing activities
• Withdraw consent where applicable
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa

Requests can be made through the BoerWol contact details provided below.

7. Data Retention

BoerWol retains information only for as long as necessary to:

• Provide services
• Meet legal or accounting obligations
• Resolve disputes
• Maintain transaction history for audit purposes

After this period, data may be securely deleted or anonymised.

8. Third-Party Links and Services

BoerWol may integrate with payment gateways or external services. BoerWol is not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party platforms once users leave the BoerWol environment.

9. Children's Information

BoerWol is intended for agricultural business users and does not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of 18.

10. Policy Updates

This policy may be updated from time to time to reflect legal or operational changes. Continued use of the platform indicates acceptance of the latest version.