This notice explains how Smart Business Accountants (Pty) Ltd (The Firm) obtains, uses, and discloses your personal information in accordance with the requirements of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). The Firm is committed to protecting your privacy and to ensure that your personal information is collected and used properly, lawfully, and transparently.

The Information Collected
The Firm collects and processes your personal information mainly to contact you for the purposes of understanding your requirements and delivering services accordingly. For this purpose, The Firm will collect contact details including your name, surname, email address and cell/tell numbers.
The Firm collects information directly from you where you provide The Firm with your personal details. Where possible, The Firm will inform you what information you are required to provide and what information is optional.

Website usage information may be collected using “cookies” which allow The Firm to collect standard internet visitor usage information.

How Your Information is Used

The Firm will use your personal information only for the purposes for which it was collected and agreed with you. In addition, where necessary your information may be retained for legal or research purposes. For example:
• To gather contact information.
• To confirm and verify your identity or to verify that you are an authorised user for security purposes.
• For the detection and prevention of fraud, crime, money laundering or other malpractice.
• To adhere to legislative requirements.
• To conduct satisfaction research or for statistical analysis.
• For audit and record-keeping purposes.
• In connection with any legal proceedings.

Disclosure of Information

Your personal information may be disclosed to The Firm’s service providers who are involved in the delivery of services to you and/or The Firm. The Firm has agreements (POPIA NDAs, SLAs) in place to ensure that they comply with the privacy requirements as required by POPIA.

THE FIRM may also disclose your information:
• Where THE FIRM have a duty or a right to disclose in terms of law or court orders; and
• Where THE FIRM believe it is necessary to protect your and THE FIRM’s rights.

Information Security

THE FIRM is legally obliged to provide adequate protection for the personal information THE FIRM hold and to stop unauthorized access and use of personal information. THE FIRM will, on an ongoing basis, continue to review security controls and related processes to ensure that your personal information remains secure.

THE FIRM’s security policies and procedures cover:
• Physical security.
• Computer and network security.
• Access to personal information.
• Secure communications.
• Security in contracting out activities or functions.
• Retention and disposal of information.
• Acceptable usage of personal information.
• Governance and regulatory issues.
• Monitoring access and usage of private information.
• Investigating and reacting to security incidents.

When THE FIRM contracts with third parties, THE FIRM imposes appropriate security, privacy, and confidentiality obligations on them to ensure that personal information, that THE FIRM remains responsible for, is kept secure. THE FIRM will ensure that anyone to whom THE FIRM pass your personal information agrees to treat your information with the same level of protection as THE FIRM is obliged to.

Your Rights: Access to Information

You have the right to request a copy of the personal information THE FIRM holds about you. To do this, simply contact THE FIRM at the numbers/addresses as provided below and specify what information you require. THE FIRM will need a copy of your ID document to confirm your identity before providing details of your personal information. Please note that any such access request may be subject to a payment of a legally allowable fee.

Your Rights: Correction of Your Information

You have the right to ask THE FIRM to update, correct or delete your personal information. THE FIRM will require a copy of your ID document to confirm your identity before making changes to personal information THE FIRM may hold about you. THE FIRM would appreciate it if you would keep your personal information accurate and thus contact them if any of your information changes.

Definition of Personal Information

According to the Act, “personal information” means information relating to an identifiable, living, natural person, and where it is applicable, an identifiable, existing juristic person. Further to PoPIA, THE FIRM also includes the following items as personal information:
• All addresses including residential, postal and email addresses.
• Change of name, for which THE FIRM requires copies of the marriage certificate or official change of name document issued by the state department.

How to Contact THE FIRM

If you have any queries about this notice, or you need further information about our privacy practices, or you wish to withdraw your consent, or exercise preferences or access or correct your personal information, please contact us at: kobus@sbacc.co.za and address your email to: The Information Officer.