How SecureSide collects, uses, shares and protects personal information

Effective date: 12 August 2026
Company: Secure Side Distribution (Pty) Ltd | Registration 2024/374680/07
Website: https://secureside.co.za

Plain-language summary: SecureSide uses personal information to run the store, verify Dealer Accounts, process payments, deliver Orders, manage returns and warranties, secure the website and send marketing only where permitted. We do not sell or rent personal information.

1. Who we are

1.1 Secure Side Distribution (Pty) Ltd (“SecureSide”, “we”, “us” or “our”) is the responsible party for the personal information described in this Policy.

1.2 This Policy applies when a person uses https://secureside.co.za, creates an account, applies for a Dealer Account, places an Order, communicates with us, receives a delivery, submits a return or warranty claim, or otherwise deals with SecureSide’s equipment-sales business.

1.3 SecureSide currently sells equipment only. This Policy does not cover a separate installation, monitoring, maintenance or hosted service unless that service expressly adopts this Policy.

2. Personal information we collect

Depending on how a person interacts with SecureSide, we may collect:

• Identity and contact information: name, company name, email address, telephone or WhatsApp number and account username.
• Order and delivery information: billing and delivery addresses, products ordered, quantities, order history, delivery instructions, courier tracking and proof of delivery.
• Dealer-verification information: company registration records, trade information and the identification of the authorised representative.
• Payment information: payment method, amount, status, reference and limited transaction details. PayFast or the relevant payment provider receives card details; SecureSide does not intentionally store complete card numbers or security codes.
• Communications: website enquiries, email, WhatsApp and support messages, consent choices, complaints and call or correspondence notes.
• Returns and warranty information: proof of purchase, serial numbers, photographs, fault descriptions, diagnostic results, collection details and the remedy provided.
• Technical and usage information: IP address, device and browser details, log data, pages viewed, referring pages, approximate location, cookie identifiers and interaction data.
• Marketing preferences: newsletter or WhatsApp opt-in, campaign interaction and opt-out records.

2.1 SecureSide does not collect CCTV footage merely because it sold the equipment. If footage is voluntarily supplied for a return or technical enquiry, only the minimum reasonably necessary should be provided and the sender must be authorised to share it.

2.2 SecureSide does not knowingly request or intentionally collect personal information from children through the store. A parent or guardian should contact us if a child supplied information without proper authority.

3. Where the information comes from

We collect personal information:

• directly from the person, for example during account registration, checkout, Dealer application, support or a return;
• automatically through the website, server logs, cookies and similar technologies;
• from payment providers, couriers, distributors, manufacturers and other service providers involved in an Order or warranty claim; and
• from public company records or authorised representatives where reasonably necessary to verify a Dealer application or prevent fraud.

4. Why we use personal information

SecureSide processes personal information only where there is a lawful basis and for purposes such as:

• creating and administering Retail and Dealer Accounts;
• verifying Dealer applicants and protecting Dealer pricing;
• confirming stock, accepting and processing Orders, payments and refunds;
• packing, dispatching, tracking and delivering Goods, including cross-border Orders;
• providing product information and handling enquiries, returns, complaints and warranty claims;
• maintaining tax, accounting, transaction and legal records;
• detecting fraud, securing accounts, payments, systems and the website, and enforcing our Terms;
• measuring and improving the website, product range, marketing and customer experience;
• sending transactional notices about an account or Order; and
• sending promotional email or WhatsApp marketing only where the person has opted in or another lawful basis clearly permits it.

4.1 Our lawful grounds may include consent, steps requested before or necessary for a contract, compliance with a legal obligation, protection of a legitimate interest of the person, or SecureSide’s legitimate interests where those interests do not unjustifiably override privacy rights.

4.2 Where information is required to process an Order, deliver Goods, verify a Dealer Account or meet a legal obligation, failure to provide it may prevent SecureSide from completing that activity.

5. When we share personal information

5.1 SecureSide does not sell or rent personal information.

5.2 We may share only the information reasonably necessary with trusted recipients such as:

• Payment providers, including PayFast, to authorise payments, prevent fraud and process refunds.
• Couriers and logistics providers to quote, dispatch, deliver, track or return an Order.
• Hosting and communications providers, including Afrihost and Google Workspace, to host the website and operate business email and documents.
• Analytics and advertising providers, including Google Analytics/Google Tag Manager and Meta Pixel, where the required cookie choice or other lawful permission exists.
• Distributors and manufacturers to source Special Order Goods, confirm serial numbers, diagnose faults and administer warranties.
• Professional and business service providers such as accountants, auditors, legal advisers, security specialists and business-software providers, under appropriate duties of confidentiality.
• Authorities, regulators, courts or law-enforcement bodies where disclosure is required or lawfully permitted.

5.3 Service providers may use the information only for the authorised service, their own legal compliance and another purpose clearly permitted by law. SecureSide requires appropriate privacy and security protections where reasonably necessary.

5.4 Information may also be disclosed in a lawful sale, merger or restructuring of SecureSide, subject to appropriate confidentiality and continued protection.

6. International processing

6.1 Some cloud, email, analytics, advertising, payment, manufacturer or support providers may process information outside South Africa.

6.2 Where personal information is transferred outside South Africa, SecureSide will use a transfer permitted by POPIA, such as a recipient subject to an adequate law, binding rules or agreement that provides substantially similar protection, the person’s consent where appropriate, or another lawful ground.

7. Cookies and similar technologies

7.1 Cookies are small files or identifiers used by websites and related services. SecureSide may use:

• Essential cookies for login, cart, checkout, fraud prevention, security and the operation of the website.
• Analytics cookies to understand visits, performance and how people use the website, including Google Analytics/Google Tag Manager.
• Advertising cookies to measure campaigns, build audiences and show more relevant advertising, including Meta Pixel.

7.2 Essential cookies may operate because they are necessary for the website. Non-essential analytics and advertising cookies should activate only after the visitor makes the required choice through an Accept, Reject or Manage Preferences banner.

7.3 A visitor can change cookie preferences through the website’s consent tool and may also use browser controls. Blocking essential cookies may prevent account, cart or checkout functions from working.

7.4 Third-party cookies are also governed by the relevant provider’s privacy information. Cookie duration depends on the cookie and the selected preference.

8. Marketing choices

8.1 SecureSide sends promotional emails or WhatsApp marketing only to people who have opted in or where another lawful permission clearly applies.

8.2 A person may unsubscribe through the message link, reply with an opt-out request where available, or email support@secureside.co.za. Opt-out requests will be respected as required by law.

8.3 Opting out of marketing does not stop necessary transactional messages about an account, payment, Order, delivery, return, security issue or warranty claim.

9. How long we keep information

9.1 Order, invoice, payment, delivery and related transaction records are generally retained for at least the period required by South African tax and business law, normally at least 5 years from the relevant tax return or period, and longer where an audit, dispute, warranty claim or legal hold requires it.

9.2 Dealer verification information is retained while the Dealer Account is active and for a reasonable legal, fraud-prevention and compliance period afterward. Unnecessary identification copies will be securely deleted or de-identified.

9.3 Marketing information is kept until consent is withdrawn or it is no longer needed, while a minimal suppression record may be retained to ensure the person is not contacted again.

9.4 Support, return and warranty records are kept for the relevant claim, warranty and reasonable dispute period. Website logs, analytics data and cookies are kept according to security needs, configured retention periods, user choices and provider controls.

9.5 When information is no longer required, SecureSide will delete, destroy or de-identify it in a manner appropriate to its sensitivity and format.

10. Security

10.1 SecureSide uses reasonable technical and organisational safeguards appropriate to the information and risks, which may include encrypted website connections, reputable payment processing, access controls, strong authentication, updates, backups, staff confidentiality and security controls provided by its hosting and cloud suppliers.

10.2 No internet transmission or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure. Customers must protect passwords, use unique credentials, sign out of shared devices and notify SecureSide promptly of suspected account misuse.

10.3 If SecureSide has reasonable grounds to believe personal information has been accessed or acquired by an unauthorised person, it will investigate and notify the Information Regulator and affected people as required by POPIA, subject to any lawful delay.

11. Your privacy rights

Subject to POPIA and other applicable law, a person may ask SecureSide to:

• confirm whether it holds personal information about that person and request access to it;
• correct or update inaccurate, incomplete, excessive, outdated or misleading information;
• delete or destroy information that SecureSide is no longer authorised to retain;
• object to certain processing on reasonable grounds;
• withdraw consent, without affecting processing that was lawful before withdrawal;
• stop direct marketing; or
• explain a significant decision based solely on automated processing, if SecureSide introduces such a process and the law grants that right.

11.1 Requests should be sent to support@secureside.co.za. SecureSide may request enough information to verify identity and authority before responding.

11.2 A deletion request does not apply where SecureSide must retain the record for tax, transaction, fraud-prevention, legal-claim, warranty or other lawful purposes. Access may also be limited where disclosure would unlawfully reveal another person’s information.

12. Complaints

12.1 Please first contact the Information Officer at support@secureside.co.za so SecureSide can investigate and try to resolve the concern.

12.2 A person may also lodge a POPIA complaint through the Information Regulator’s eServices portal at https://eservices.inforegulator.org.za or contact the Regulator at enquiries@inforegulator.org.za, 010 023 5200 or toll-free 0800 017 160.

12.3 This Privacy Policy does not replace SecureSide’s separate duties under the Promotion of Access to Information Act, including any applicable PAIA Manual and formal records-request process.

13. Third-party websites and product platforms

13.1 The website or Goods may link to manufacturer apps, cloud platforms, payment pages, courier tracking or other third-party services. Those parties are responsible for their own privacy practices when they process information for their own purposes.

13.2 Customers should review the relevant third-party privacy notices before creating an account, activating cloud functions or sharing information with those services.

14. Changes to this Policy

14.1 SecureSide may update this Policy when its business, providers, website or legal duties change. The updated version will be posted on the website with a revised effective date.

14.2 Where a change materially affects an existing purpose or a person’s rights, SecureSide will give additional notice or request consent where the law requires it.

15. Contact SecureSide

Legal name: Secure Side Distribution (Pty) Ltd
Registration number: 2024/374680/07
Information Officer: Griffin Fourie
Address: 4 Plane Close, Edenvale, Johannesburg, South Africa, 1609
Website: https://secureside.co.za
Email: support@secureside.co.za
Telephone / WhatsApp: +27 68 606 5021

Privacy and POPIA requests should be marked for the attention of the Information Officer and sent to support@secureside.co.za.