Privacy Policy

Introduction and Scope

This Privacy Policy outlines how Bhuk.me ("the Platform", "we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, and protects the personal information of users (both professionals and customers) in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and other applicable South African laws.

This policy applies to all information collected through our website, mobile application, WhatsApp communication, and any related services, sales, marketing, or events (collectively, the "Platform").

By using our booking platform, you agree to the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy.

Types of Information Collected

We collect personal information that you provide to us when you register on the Platform, express an interest in obtaining information about us or our products and services, when you participate in activities on the Platform, or otherwise when you contact us. The personal information that we collect depends on the context of your interactions with us and the Platform, the choices you make, and the products and features you use.

We collect the following types of personal information:

For Professionals:

• Name (as it appears on your account)
• Email address
• Phone number
• Services offered
• Availability schedule
• Payment information (for processing payments via Paystack)
• Work address

For Customers:

• Name and surname
• Phone number
• Email address
• Location (if the service is to be rendered at the customer's location)
• Booking details (services selected, date, and time)

How Information is Collected

• Information is provided directly by the user during account creation (for professionals) or when booking services (for customers).
• Automatically as you navigate through the Platform (e.g., usage details, IP addresses, cookies)
• From third parties that are involved in the provision of our service (e.g., payment processors)

Use of Personal Information

We use personal information collected via our Platform for a variety of business purposes described below:

• To provide and maintain our Platform
• To manage user accounts
• To send administrative information, such as booking confirmations and service updates
• To send marketing and promotional communications (with consent)
• To respond to inquiries and offer support
• To request feedback and contact you about your use of our Platform
• To enforce our terms, conditions, and policies
• To respond to legal requests and prevent harm as required by applicable law
• To evaluate and improve our Platform, products, services, marketing, and your experience

Data Storage and Security Measures

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures designed to protect the security of any personal information we process. However, despite our safeguards and efforts to secure your information, no electronic transmission over the Internet or information storage technology can be guaranteed to be 100% secure.

Third-Party Sharing

We only share information with your consent, to comply with laws, to provide you with services, to protect your rights, or to fulfill business obligations. We may process or share your data that we hold based on the following legal basis:

• Consent: We may process your data if you have given us specific consent to use your personal information for a specific purpose.
• Legitimate Interests: We may process your data when it is reasonably necessary to achieve our legitimate business interests.
• Performance of a Contract: Where we have entered into a contract with you, we may process your personal information to fulfill the terms of our contract.
• Legal Obligations: We may disclose your information where we are legally required to do so in order to comply with applicable law, governmental requests, a judicial proceeding, court order, or legal process, such as in response to a court order or a subpoena (including in response to public authorities to meet national security or law enforcement requirements).
• Vital Interests: We may disclose your information where we believe it is necessary to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding potential violations of our policies, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the safety of any person and illegal activities, or as evidence in litigation in which we are involved.

User Rights under POPIA

Under POPIA, you have the following rights:

• The right to be notified that personal information about you is being collected or has been accessed or acquired by an unauthorized person
• The right to establish whether we hold personal information of you and to request access to your personal information
• The right to request, where necessary, the correction, destruction or deletion of your personal information
• The right to object, on reasonable grounds relating to your particular situation, to the processing of your personal information
• The right to object to the processing of your personal information for purposes of direct marketing
• The right not to be subject, under certain circumstances, to automated decision-making
• The right to submit a complaint to the Regulator regarding the alleged interference with the protection of the personal information of any data subject or to submit a complaint to the Regulator in respect of a determination of an adjudicator
• The right to institute civil proceedings regarding the alleged interference with the protection of your personal information

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided in the "Contact Us" section of this policy.

Cookie Policy

Cookies are small data files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. We use cookies to enhance your experience on our Platform, analyze usage patterns, and tailor content to your preferences. You can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when websites set or access cookies. If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of this Platform may become inaccessible or not function properly.

Updates to this Privacy Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. The updated version will be indicated by an updated "Revised" date and the updated version will be effective as soon as it is accessible. If we make material changes to this privacy policy, we may notify you either by prominently posting a notice of such changes or by directly sending you a notification. We encourage you to review this privacy policy frequently to be informed of how we are protecting your information. Your continued use of the platform signifies your acceptance of any changes.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

WhatsApp Communication

By using our Platform, you agree to receive communication from us via WhatsApp. This includes, but is not limited to, notifications about new bookings, rescheduling, cancellations, and other service-related updates. You can opt out of WhatsApp communications at any time by contacting our support team.