Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

TradeWhizz is a South African home-services marketplace that helps homeowners find and hire verified tradies (electricians, plumbers, solar installers and other trades). This policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, who we share it with, and the rights you have under POPIA. We've tried to keep it honest and readable rather than burying it in legal jargon.

TradeWhizz is an early-access preview. Some features are still being built, and this policy will grow as the platform does. When we make material changes we'll update the date above and, where appropriate, tell you.

2. Who we are & our Information Officer

TradeWhizz is the responsible party (data controller) for the personal information described here. If you have any question, request or complaint about your information, contact our Information Officer:

admin@tradewhizz.co.za

3. What personal information we collect

We only collect what we need to connect homeowners with tradies and to run the platform safely.

Homeowners

• Your name and contact details (email address and/or phone number).
• Descriptions of the jobs you post and the messages you exchange with tradies on the platform.

Tradies (for verification)

• Your name and contact details (email address and/or phone number).
• Your business registration details.
• Statutory credential numbers relevant to your trade — for example CoC, PIRB, SAQCC or PSIRA numbers — and your insurer.
• Your South African ID number. We collect this only to verify your identity and credentials against the relevant registers. We do not use it for any other purpose.
• The job descriptions and messages you exchange with homeowners on the platform.

A note on verification: our checks are best-effort. We check credential numbers against the applicable registers where we can, but a verified badge confirms that a number checked out — it is not a guarantee of the quality, safety or outcome of any particular job.

4. How & why we use your information (lawful bases)

Under POPIA we must have a lawful basis for processing your information. We rely on:

• Consent — you give us your details to create an account, post a job or start verification, and you can withdraw consent (see your rights below).
• Performance of a contract — to provide the service you signed up for, such as matching you and enabling messaging.
• Legitimate interest — to verify tradies, keep the platform safe, prevent fraud and abuse, and improve the service.

Concretely, we use your information to: connect homeowners with suitable tradies; verify tradie identity and credentials; power messaging between users; and understand and improve how the service works.

5. Who we share it with

• The other party in a match. When a homeowner and a tradie are connected, the relevant contact details and job/message information are shared between the two of you so you can arrange the work.
• Service providers who help us run TradeWhizz — for example email delivery and hosting providers. They may only process your information on our instructions and to provide their service.
• Registers and regulators — we may check tradie credential numbers against the relevant statutory registers as part of verification.

We never sell your personal information. Full stop.

6. Cookies & local storage

We keep this light. TradeWhizz uses your browser's localStorage to hold your login token so you stay signed in, and a small cookie-consent flag to remember that you've seen our consent banner so we don't nag you again. We use only minimal analytics to understand how the site is used. We don't run advertising trackers.

7. How we protect your information

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your information against loss, unauthorised access and misuse. Being honest: TradeWhizz is an early build, and no online service can promise perfect security. If we ever become aware of a breach affecting your personal information, we'll act on it and notify you and the Information Regulator where the law requires.

8. Your rights under POPIA

You have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.
• Correct information that is inaccurate or out of date.
• Delete your information where we no longer have a lawful basis to keep it.
• Object to processing based on legitimate interest, and to withdraw consent at any time.
• Complain to the Information Regulator if you believe your information has been mishandled.

To exercise any of these, email our Information Officer at admin@tradewhizz.co.za.

The Information Regulator (South Africa) is the independent body that oversees POPIA and protects your information rights. You can lodge a complaint with them directly if you're not satisfied with how we've handled your information — you don't have to go through us first.

9. How long we keep it (retention)

We keep your personal information only for as long as we need it for the purposes above — for example, for as long as you have an account, to support a job or dispute record, or where the law requires us to retain it. When we no longer need it, we delete it or de-identify it. You can ask us to delete your account and associated information at any time.

10. Children

TradeWhizz is not intended for anyone under 18. We don't knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has given us their information, contact us and we'll remove it.

11. Changes to this policy

As TradeWhizz grows, we may update this policy. We'll change the "Last updated" date above, and for material changes we'll take reasonable steps to let you know.

12. Contact us

Questions, requests or concerns about your privacy? Our Information Officer is here: admin@tradewhizz.co.za. This policy is governed by the law of South Africa.