Privacy Policy

1. Who we are and when this policy applies

BVTechLabs (Pty) Ltd ("BVTechLabs", "we", "our", "us") is a software-development and technical-services provider based in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. This policy explains how we handle personal information when you:

• visit bvtechlabs.co.za;
• contact, contract with or otherwise communicate with us;
• participate in a BVTechLabs project; or
• use the BVTechLabs Hub mobile application.

BVTechLabs is the responsible party for information used for its own website, enquiries, administration and business relationships. Where we process personal information only on a client's documented instructions to deliver a project, BVTechLabs will normally act as the operator and the client remains the responsible party.

2. Personal information we may collect

• Enquiry and communication information: your name, organisation, email address, telephone number, message content and information you choose to send us.
• Client and supplier administration: business contact details, project roles, quotations, contracts, approvals, invoices, payment records and related correspondence.
• Project information: requirements, feedback, support requests, user details, credentials or data made available to us for agreed development, migration, testing, hosting or support work.
• Technical information: IP address, browser and device type, requested pages, timestamps, diagnostic events and security logs generated through ordinary website and infrastructure operation.
• Mobile support information: device and application details that you choose to include when contacting support from the BVTechLabs Hub application.

We ask clients not to provide special personal information, children's information, production credentials or unrestricted production datasets unless they are necessary for an agreed service and appropriate safeguards have first been arranged.

3. How information is collected

We collect information directly from you, from your organisation or its authorised users, through project systems and communications, and automatically through standard server and security logs. We may also receive business contact information from a referral partner or a publicly available professional source where lawful.

This website does not currently use advertising pixels or behavioural analytics. Following an external link may allow that third party to collect information under its own privacy policy.

4. Why we process personal information

Depending on the circumstances and the applicable legal justification, we process information to:

• respond to an enquiry and take steps requested before entering a contract;
• prepare proposals, deliver services and administer a client or supplier agreement;
• collaborate, test, deploy, support and secure agreed project work;
• authenticate authorised users and protect systems against misuse or unauthorised access;
• manage billing, accounting, tax, audit and business records;
• establish, exercise or defend legal rights and comply with legal obligations; and
• protect our legitimate business interests, those of a client, or those of a data subject, where those interests are not overridden by applicable rights.

Where consent is the appropriate legal basis, you may withdraw it, but withdrawal does not invalidate processing already carried out lawfully.

5. Client-project information

When BVTechLabs acts as an operator for a client, we process project personal information only with the client's knowledge or authorisation, for the agreed purpose, and subject to confidentiality and security duties. The client determines why the information is processed and is responsible for its instructions, notices, legal justification and responses to data-subject requests.

Our Standard Development Terms, the Statement of Work or a separate data-processing addendum records the parties' operator arrangements. Projects involving special personal information, large datasets, systematic monitoring or materially higher risk may require a tailored assessment and additional safeguards before information is provided.

6. Sharing and service providers

We do not sell personal information. We may share only what is reasonably necessary with:

• authorised BVTechLabs personnel and contractors who need it for the agreed work and are bound by confidentiality;
• hosting, cloud, email, communications, source-control and other technology providers supporting our operations or an agreed client solution;
• accountants, auditors, insurers, legal advisers and other professional advisers;
• a client and its authorised project participants where BVTechLabs is acting as operator; or
• regulators, courts, law-enforcement bodies or other persons when disclosure is required or permitted by law.

Providers receive only the access reasonably needed for their role and must handle information under applicable contractual and legal safeguards.

7. Cross-border processing

Some cloud, communications, source-control or client-selected services may process information outside South Africa. Where cross-border processing occurs, we use providers, contractual protections or other measures intended to satisfy POPIA's requirements, taking account of the processing and the client's instructions.

8. Retention and deletion

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose collected, an agreed project, security, dispute resolution, or a legal, tax or accounting requirement. Retention depends on the record:

• website and security logs are kept according to operational and security needs;
• unsuccessful enquiries are kept only while reasonably useful for follow-up or record-keeping;
• client, contract, invoice and project records are kept for the engagement and applicable legal or limitation periods; and
• operator-held project data is returned or securely deleted when reasonably requested at the end of the service, subject to law, dispute holds and secure backup cycles.

When information is no longer required, we delete, destroy or de-identify it using measures appropriate to its sensitivity and location.

9. Security and incidents

We use appropriate, reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information against loss, damage, unauthorised destruction, access or processing. Measures may include HTTPS, access controls, least-privilege access, secure development practices, protected credentials, backups and logging, selected according to the system and agreed scope.

No method of transmission or storage is completely secure. If we have reasonable grounds to believe personal information processed for a client has been accessed or acquired by an unauthorised person, we will notify the client immediately and cooperate with reasonable investigation and response steps. Where BVTechLabs is the responsible party, we will make notifications required by POPIA.

10. Your rights under POPIA

Subject to applicable requirements and exceptions, you may:

• ask whether we hold your personal information and request access to it;
• ask us to correct, update, delete or destroy inaccurate, excessive, unlawfully obtained or unlawfully retained information;
• object to processing in appropriate circumstances;
• withdraw consent where processing depends on consent; and
• complain to South Africa's Information Regulator.

We may need to verify your identity and authority before completing a request. If your information is controlled by one of our clients, we may refer the request to that client and assist it as required.

You can find official complaint channels and forms on the Information Regulator's complaints page (opens in a new tab).

11. Cookies and local storage

The website uses only technical storage that may be required for secure and reliable operation. We do not currently use advertising or behavioural-tracking cookies. If this changes, we will update this policy and request consent where required.

12. External websites

The website links to selected client, portfolio and provider websites. Those services operate independently under their own terms and privacy policies. We do not transmit your information to them merely by displaying a link, but they may collect information if you choose to follow it.

13. BVTechLabs Hub mobile application

• The Support screen reads device model, manufacturer, operating-system version and app version locally so you may include those details in a support email. They are sent only when you choose to email them.
• Network state is checked locally to display connectivity status.
• The in-app browser loads bvtechlabs.co.za and is governed by this policy.
• The app may request the Outfit typeface from Google's font CDN on first launch. That request is governed by Google's privacy policy.
• The app does not require registration, include advertising SDKs or automatically transmit analytics to BVTechLabs.

14. Children's information

The public website and BVTechLabs Hub application are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect children's personal information through them. A client project involving children's information requires prior written agreement and appropriate lawful authority and safeguards.

15. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when our processing, services or legal obligations change. The revised version applies from the date shown above. Material project-specific changes will be handled through the applicable client agreement where required.

16. Contact

For privacy questions or requests, email support@bvtechlabs.co.za. Please use the subject "Privacy request" and do not send sensitive identification information until we confirm a secure method if it is needed.

BVTechLabs (Pty) Ltd is based in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.