Effective Date: 10 February 2025

1. Introduction

Goldrush Pietermaritzburg (“we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you visit our website at https://goldrushpietermaritzburg.co.za.

By using this website, you consent to the collection and processing of your personal data in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any aspect of this policy, you should discontinue use of our website.

For inquiries regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us at [email protected].

2. Personal Information We Collect

We collect personal information necessary for the operation of our website and services. This includes:

Identification Information: Name, surname, and contact details (email, phone number).
Technical Data: IP address, browser type, device information, and browsing behavior.
Transactional Data: Information related to purchases, payments, and account activities.
User-Generated Content: Comments, reviews, and any data voluntarily submitted by users.

Certain data is collected automatically through cookies and similar tracking technologies. For more information, refer to our Cookie Policy.

3. How We Collect Personal Information

We collect personal information in the following ways:

Direct Interactions: When you fill out forms, register for an account, submit comments, or contact us.
Automated Technologies: Through website analytics, cookies, and log files that track interactions with our website.
Third-Party Services: Information received from payment processors, advertising networks, and security monitoring tools.

4. Use of Personal Information

Your personal information is used for the following purposes:

Website Functionality: To enable user accounts, comments, and interactive features.
Customer Support: To respond to inquiries, complaints, or service requests.
Security & Fraud Prevention: To detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent activities or security breaches.
Marketing & Communications: To send promotional messages and updates (with opt-out options).
Compliance with Legal Obligations: To adhere to applicable laws, regulations, and law enforcement requests.

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties.

Your data may be shared in the following instances:

Service Providers: With third-party vendors who assist in payment processing, analytics, or website security.
Legal Authorities: When required by law, regulatory authorities, or in response to valid legal requests.
Business Transfers: In case of a merger, acquisition, or sale of company assets.

Where external services are used (e.g., payment gateways, embedded content from other websites), users are subject to the privacy policies of those providers.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law. Specifically:

User Accounts: Retained while the account is active or until a deletion request is received.
Comments & Reviews: Stored indefinitely to maintain content history unless requested for removal.
Transaction Records: Kept for legal and financial reporting requirements.

Upon request, personal data may be deleted or anonymized, except where legal obligations require retention.

7. User Rights Under POPIA

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), users have the following rights:

Right to Access: Request a copy of personal data held about you.
Right to Correction: Request corrections to inaccurate or outdated data.
Right to Erasure: Request deletion of personal data, subject to legal retention requirements.
Right to Object: Opt-out of direct marketing or restrict processing in certain circumstances.
Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw previously granted consent for data processing.

To exercise these rights, users may contact us at [email protected]. Requests will be processed within 30 days in accordance with POPIA guidelines.

8. Data Security Measures

Goldrush Pietermaritzburg implements industry-standard security measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, or alteration. These measures include:

Encryption: Secure data transmission via HTTPS.
Access Controls: Restricted access to personal data on a need-to-know basis.
Monitoring & Firewalls: Continuous security monitoring and firewall protection.

Despite these measures, no website is completely secure. Users should take their own precautions, such as using strong passwords and avoiding public networks when accessing personal accounts.

9. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Cookies are small files stored on a user’s device to enhance website functionality and user experience. Goldrush Pietermaritzburg uses cookies to:

Recognize returning users and retain preferences.
Analyze website traffic and improve performance.
Support security measures and prevent fraudulent activities.

Users can manage cookie preferences via browser settings. However, disabling cookies may affect website functionality. For details, refer to our Cookie Policy.

10. Embedded Content & External Links

Our website may include embedded content (e.g., videos, images, social media feeds) and links to third-party websites. These third-party sites may collect data, use cookies, and track interactions as per their respective privacy policies.

Goldrush Pietermaritzburg is not responsible for the data practices of external websites and encourages users to review their privacy policies before engaging with third-party content.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

Goldrush Pietermaritzburg reserves the right to update this Privacy Policy periodically. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date.

Material changes may be communicated via email notifications or website banners. Users are encouraged to review this policy regularly. Continued use of the website after updates constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Contact Information

For any privacy-related inquiries, concerns, or data access requests, please contact:

Goldrush Pietermaritzburg
Email: [email protected]
Address: 594 Dr Chota Motala Rd, Raisethorpe, Pietermaritzburg, 3201, South Africa

If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa at https://inforegulator.org.za/.