1. Introduction
Wazar & Associates (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of clients, website users, and stakeholders. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (POPIA).
By using our website or engaging our services, you consent to the processing of your personal information as set out in this Privacy Policy.
2. Personal Information We Collect
We may collect and process personal information including, but not limited to:
- Full names and contact details (email address, telephone number, physical address)
- Identification information (ID or registration numbers where required)
- Business and company information
- Financial, tax, payroll, and employment-related information
- Information required for SARS, CIPC, UIF, COIDA, and other statutory compliance
- Website usage data (such as IP address, browser type, and pages visited)
3. Purpose of Processing
Personal information is collected and processed for the following purposes:
- To provide professional accounting, tax, compliance, and advisory services
- To meet statutory and regulatory obligations
- To communicate with clients and respond to enquiries
- To maintain accurate records and client files
- To improve our services and website functionality
- To comply with legal and contractual requirements
4. Lawful Basis for Processing
We process personal information on one or more of the following lawful bases:
- Consent from the data subject
- Performance of a contract or engagement
- Compliance with a legal obligation
- Legitimate business interests, provided such interests do not override the rights of the data subject
5. Disclosure of Personal Information
We may disclose personal information to third parties only where necessary, including:
- SARS, CIPC, the Department of Labour, the Compensation Fund, or other regulatory authorities
- Professional service providers acting on our behalf
- IT service providers and system administrators
- Where required by law or court order
We do not sell, rent, or trade personal information to third parties.
6. Third-Party Services We Use
Our website uses the following third-party services to operate:
- Contact form (Web3Forms): details you enter in our contact form, such as your name, email address, telephone number and message, are processed by Web3Forms and delivered to us by email.
- Spam protection (hCaptcha): our contact form uses hCaptcha to distinguish people from automated programs. hCaptcha may collect technical information such as your IP address and browser details for this purpose.
- Website hosting (Vercel): our website is hosted by Vercel, which may record technical information such as IP addresses in its server logs.
- Analytics (Google Analytics): if you click Accept on our cookie notice, we use Google Analytics to understand how our website is used, such as the pages visited, device type and approximate location. Google Analytics is not loaded unless you accept, and you can change your choice at any time using “Cookie settings” in the footer of our website.
- Google Maps: our contact page displays a Google Map. Google may receive technical information such as your IP address when it loads.
- WhatsApp: if you choose to chat with us on WhatsApp, you leave our website and WhatsApp’s own terms and privacy policy apply.
Some of these providers process information outside South Africa. Where personal information is transferred to another country, we only do so as permitted by POPIA.
7. Data Security
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, unauthorised access, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. Access to personal information is restricted to authorised personnel only.
8. Retention of Information
Personal information is retained only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law, professional standards, or regulatory obligations.
9. Data Subject Rights
In terms of POPIA, data subjects have the right to:
- Access their personal information
- Request correction or deletion of personal information
- Object to the processing of personal information
- Withdraw consent where applicable
- Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa
Requests relating to personal information can be submitted using the contact details below.
10. Cookies and Website Usage
Our website, and some of the third-party services listed above (such as analytics, hCaptcha and Google Maps), may use cookies or similar technologies to enhance your experience, keep the website secure and analyse performance. This may include information such as your IP address, device and browser type, and the pages you visit. You may disable cookies in your browser settings, although some features, such as the contact form’s spam check, may not work as a result.
Analytics cookies are only set if you accept them on our cookie notice. If you decline, or later change your mind using “Cookie settings”, analytics will not run and the analytics cookies are removed from your browser. We do not use advertising cookies.
11. Changes to This Privacy Policy
Wazar & Associates reserves the right to update or amend this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be published on this website and will take effect immediately upon publication.
12. Contact Information
For any questions, requests, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or the processing of personal information, please contact:
Wazar & Associates
info@wazarca.co.za