PRIVACY
POLICY.

Who We Are

AfriBao ("we", "us", "our") is a South African business enablement company. We operate the website afribao.com and provide business consulting, strategy, and digital services to startups and SMEs across South Africa.

Our registered business operates in South Africa and is subject to the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (POPIA).

What Information We Collect

We collect personal information only when you voluntarily provide it to us, or when it is automatically collected through your use of our website.

Information you provide directly:

• Full name and business name
• Email address and phone number
• Location (province, city)
• Business information (stage, type, interests)
• Any details submitted through our contact or discovery forms

Information collected automatically:

• Website usage data (pages visited, time spent, clicks) via Google Analytics — only with your consent
• Browser type and device information (aggregated, anonymised)
• Referring website (how you found us)

Why We Collect Your Information

We use personal information for the following purposes:

• To respond to enquiries and provide the consulting services you requested
• To send you information about our services when you have requested it
• To process bookings and consultations
• To understand how our website is used so we can improve it (analytics — consent required)
• To comply with our legal obligations under South African law

We will never use your information for purposes beyond those listed above without your explicit consent.

Cookies & Google Analytics

Our website uses Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our pages. This service uses cookies — small files stored in your browser — to collect anonymised usage data.

We use Google Consent Mode v2: analytics cookies are only activated after you explicitly click "Accept" on our cookie banner. If you decline, no analytics data is collected about your visit.

You can change your preference at any time by clearing your browser's local storage for afribao.com. Google's privacy policy is available at policies.google.com/privacy.

How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share it only in these limited circumstances:

• Service providers: We use Resend (email delivery) and Make.com (automation) to process form submissions. These providers process data on our behalf and are bound by their own privacy policies.
• Legal requirements: If required by South African law, court order, or regulatory authority.
• Business transfers: If AfriBao is acquired or merged, personal data may be transferred as part of that transaction — you will be notified beforehand.

How We Protect Your Information

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against loss, theft, unauthorised access, disclosure, or destruction. These include:

• Encrypted connections (HTTPS) on all pages
• Access to form submissions restricted to authorised staff only
• No storage of payment card details (payments processed by Paystack, a PCI-DSS compliant provider)

No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we will notify you and the Information Regulator without undue delay if a breach occurs that is likely to affect you.

Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject under South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act, you have the following rights:

• Right to access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Right to correction: Request that inaccurate or incomplete information be corrected
• Right to deletion: Request that your personal information be deleted, subject to our legal retention obligations
• Right to object: Object to the processing of your information for direct marketing
• Right to withdraw consent: Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent

To exercise any of these rights, contact our Information Officer at anisha@afribao.com. We will respond within 30 days.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa at justice.gov.za/inforeg.

How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required by law.

• Contact and enquiry form submissions: up to 3 years
• Booking and consultation records: up to 5 years (business records obligation)
• Analytics data: retained by Google according to our account settings (default 14 months)

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external sites (including Instagram and booking platforms). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed at persons under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately at anisha@afribao.com.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Material changes will be communicated by a notice on our website. Your continued use of the site after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal information, please contact our Information Officer: