Privacy Policy & PAIA/POPIA Notice

1. Introduction & Who We Are

Welcome to A.I. Marais Accounting Services (accessible via our website at www.theaccountingplaza.co.za).

We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, use our professional services, or otherwise interact with us.

We conduct our operations strictly in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA), and other applicable South African data protection legislation.

• Business Name: A.I. Marais Accounting Services
• Information Officer: A.I. Marais, registered with the Information Regulator of South Africa (Registration No. 2026-063241)
• Physical & Postal Address: 7 Sir Percy Spender Road, Unit 2, Monterey, Montrose, Pietermaritzburg, 3201
• Telephone: 083 557 3189
• Website: www.theaccountingplaza.co.za
• Email: info@theaccountingplaza.co.za

2. Key Legal Definitions (POPIA & PAIA)

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, the following terms carry their statutory meanings under South African law:

• "Data Subject" means the natural or juristic person to whom personal information relates (e.g., our clients, website visitors, employees, or members of NPOs/churches/schools).
• "Personal Information" means information relating to an identifiable, living, natural person, and where applicable, an identifiable, existing juristic person (including company registration numbers, tax numbers, financial data, and contact details).
• "Processing" means any operation or activity concerning personal information, including collection, receipt, recording, organization, storage, updating, sharing, or destruction.
• "Responsible Party" means A.I. Marais Accounting Services, which determines the purpose of and means for processing personal information.

3. Scope of Our Services

We provide specialized financial, administrative, and compliance services to a wide range of entities in South Africa, including:

• Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs)
• Schools and educational institutions
• Churches and religious organizations
• Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs)
• Sports clubs

4. Information We Collect

We collect personal and institutional information necessary to effectively deliver our bookkeeping, accounting, tax, labour, and CIPC compliance services. This includes:

• Identity & Contact Details: Full names, registration numbers, physical and postal addresses, email addresses, and contact numbers.
• Financial Data: Bank details, financial statements, ledger accounts, invoices, payroll records, and tax numbers.
• Compliance & Legal Data: Identity numbers of directors, trustees, or members; CIPC documentation; founding documents (e.g., Trust Deeds, MOIs, NPO certificates); and UIF, PAYE, and SDL records.
• Website Usage Data: Standard internet log information, device details, IP addresses, browser types, and pages visited collected via cookies.

5. How We Collect Information

• Directly from You: When you engage our services, fill out web forms, send emails, or communicate with us telephonically or in person.
• From Third Parties: When acting on your behalf with regulatory bodies like the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), the Department of Employment and Labour, or the NPO Directorate.
• Automatically: Through website tracking tools, analytics, and cookies.

6. Purpose of Processing Personal Information

We use the information we collect strictly for lawful purposes connected to our professional functions, including:

• Delivering tailored bookkeeping, accounting, tax, labour, and compliance services to NPOs, schools, churches, SMMEs, and sports clubs.
• Verifying identity and conducting necessary Know-Your-Customer (KYC) or onboarding checks.
• Communicating regarding your accounts, queries, tax filings, or compliance deadlines.
• Processing payments, invoicing, and maintaining accurate internal financial records.
• Meeting statutory reporting obligations to regulatory authorities (e.g., SARS, CIPC, NPO Directorate).

7. Cookie Policy & Website Tracking

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to ensure functionality, enhance user experience, and analyze site traffic anonymously.

• Essential / Functional Cookies: Required for the website to function correctly and securely.
• Analytical Cookies: Used to understand visitor interactions and measure website performance via de-identified data.

You can instruct your browser to refuse cookies or alert you when they are sent. Note that disabling cookies may affect certain website features.

8. Disclosure and Sharing of Personal Information

We treat your data with utmost confidentiality and do not sell or rent your personal information. However, we may share information with:

• Regulatory Authorities & Statutory Bodies: SARS, CIPC, the Master of the High Court, the NPO Directorate, or the Department of Employment and Labour, strictly as required for compliance services.
• Third-Party Service Providers: Trusted cloud accounting software providers, auditors, or IT contractors bound by strict confidentiality and POPIA-compliant agreements.
• Legal Obligations: When required by law, court order, or formal legal process.

9. Cross-Border Data Transfers

Some of the cloud accounting platforms, software systems, or data storage providers we utilize may store or process personal information on servers located outside South Africa. Where such cross-border transfers occur, we ensure that third-party providers comply with binding corporate rules or data protection standards offering an adequate level of protection comparable to POPIA.

10. Data Security and Retention

Security Measures: We implement robust technical, physical, and organizational security controls (such as secure access controls and encrypted digital storage) to protect personal data from unauthorized access, loss, or alteration.

Retention: We retain personal and financial records only as long as necessary to fulfill professional obligations or comply with South African legislation (such as the Companies Act and Tax Administration Act, which typically mandate a 5-year retention period). Once no longer required, data is securely deleted or de-identified.

11. PAIA Manual Availability

In accordance with PAIA and POPIA, our formal PAIA Manual detailing our internal records, request procedures, and specific processing activities is available upon request via info@theaccountingplaza.co.za.

12. Your Data Protection Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject, you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction or Deletion: Request that we update, correct, or delete inaccurate or excess personal data.
• Objection: Object to the processing of your personal information under specific legal grounds.
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Information Officer at info@theaccountingplaza.co.za or call 083 557 3189.

13. Complaints & Information Regulator

If you believe that we have not processed your personal information lawfully, please contact us first so we can resolve the matter. You also retain the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa:

• Website: www.inforegulator.org.za
• Email: complaints.IR@inforegulator.org.za / POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za

14. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or regulatory requirements. The latest version will always be published on our website at www.theaccountingplaza.co.za.