Privacy Policy

Veldwise ("we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or use our services, in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA).

1. Who We Are

Veldwise is a data and AI consultancy based in Johannesburg, South Africa. We are the responsible party for the personal information we process.

Contact Details:
Email: hello@veldwise.com
Phone: +27 76 687 0156
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa

2. Information We Collect

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us, including:

2.1 Contact Form Submissions

• Name
• Email address
• Organization name (optional)
• Message content
• Budget range (optional)
• Service interest

2.2 Newsletter Subscriptions

• Email address

2.3 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Pages visited and time spent
• Referring website
• Device information

This information is collected through cookies and similar technologies. See our Cookie Policy for more details.

2.4 Demo Environment (Proxim)

If you use our Proxim demonstration environment, certain preferences and demonstration data may be stored locally in your browser. This data remains on your device and is not transmitted to our servers.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• To respond to inquiries: Processing contact form submissions and responding to your questions
• To provide services: Delivering the consulting services you've engaged us for
• To send newsletters: Sharing insights and updates (only if you've subscribed)
• To improve our website: Analyzing usage patterns to enhance user experience
• To comply with legal obligations: Meeting our regulatory and legal requirements

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Under POPIA, we process your personal information based on:

• Consent: Where you have given explicit consent (e.g., newsletter signup)
• Contract: Where processing is necessary to fulfill a contract with you
• Legitimate interest: Where we have a legitimate business interest that doesn't override your rights
• Legal obligation: Where we are required to process data by law

5. Information Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

• Service providers: Third parties who assist us in operating our website and business (e.g., email service providers, hosting providers)
• Legal requirements: When required by law, court order, or governmental authority
• Business transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets

All third-party service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

6. International Transfers

Some of our service providers may be located outside South Africa. Where we transfer personal information internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place as required by POPIA, including ensuring the recipient country has adequate data protection laws or obtaining your consent.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to:

• Fulfill the purposes for which it was collected
• Comply with legal, accounting, or reporting requirements
• Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements

Contact form submissions are retained for up to 3 years unless you request earlier deletion. Newsletter subscriptions are retained until you unsubscribe.

8. Your Rights Under POPIA

You have the right to:

• Access: Request confirmation of whether we hold your personal information and access to that information
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances
• Object: Object to processing of your personal information for direct marketing
• Withdraw consent: Withdraw your consent at any time where processing is based on consent
• Lodge a complaint: Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hello@veldwise.com.

9. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit (HTTPS)
• Secure hosting infrastructure
• Access controls and authentication
• Regular security assessments

However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., Medium for blog articles, LinkedIn, Calendly). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, or if you wish to exercise your rights, please contact us:

Veldwise
Email: hello@veldwise.com
Phone: +27 76 687 0156
Johannesburg, South Africa

14. Information Regulator

If you are not satisfied with our response to your privacy concerns, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator:

Information Regulator (South Africa)
Website: inforegulator.org.za
Email: complaints.IR@justice.gov.za