Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

AfrikaFinds is an online classifieds marketplace serving Southern Africa, allowing users to buy, sell, hire and advertise across a range of categories. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect when you use our service, how we use and share that information, and the rights you have over it.

We are committed to protecting your privacy in line with applicable data protection laws including the South African Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 ("POPIA") and equivalent legislation in the other Southern African countries we operate in.

2. Information we collect

We collect personal information in the following ways:

2.1 Information you provide

• Account details: email address, password (hashed), display name, country, city.
• Listing details: title, description, price, location, photographs, contact phone number, WhatsApp number and email address that you choose to publish on a listing.
• Communications: messages and reports you send to us through support channels.
• Age verification: a confirmation that you are 18 years or older when accessing age-restricted sections.

2.2 Information collected automatically

• Device and browser data (user agent, language, screen size).
• IP address and approximate location.
• Pages viewed, search queries, listings clicked and other usage patterns.
• Cookies and similar technologies (see section 9 below).

2.3 Information from third parties

If you sign in using a third-party authentication provider, we receive the basic profile information you authorise that provider to share with us.

3. How we use your information

We use personal information to:

• Create and manage your account and authenticate you.
• Publish the listings you create and display the contact details you choose to share with potential buyers.
• Operate, maintain and improve the platform, including search, recommendations and fraud prevention.
• Send transactional emails (account confirmations, listing notifications, expiry reminders, password resets).
• Respond to support enquiries and abuse reports.
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service.

4. Legal basis for processing

We process personal information on the following legal bases:

• Contract: to provide the services you request (e.g. publishing your listing, running your account).
• Consent: where you have explicitly consented (e.g. confirming you are 18+ to access adult sections).
• Legitimate interests: to keep the platform safe, prevent fraud and improve the service.
• Legal obligation: to comply with court orders, regulatory requirements or law-enforcement requests.

5. Sharing your information

AfrikaFinds is a public classifieds platform. The following data is intentionally public on listings you create: title, description, price, photographs, city/area, and any contact methods (WhatsApp number, phone number, email) you choose to include.

We share information with the following categories of recipient:

• Service providers: Supabase (database, auth and file storage), Resend (transactional email delivery), and payment processors for premium features. These providers process data on our behalf under contractual safeguards.
• Other users: when you publish a listing, the information on that listing is visible to anyone who views it.
• Authorities: where we are required by law, regulation or valid legal process to disclose information.
• In a corporate transaction: if Starlight Group SA is involved in a merger, acquisition or asset sale, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

6. Cross-border data transfers

Some of our service providers (including Supabase and Resend) may process and store data outside South Africa or your country of residence. Where we transfer personal information across borders we rely on appropriate safeguards as required by POPIA and equivalent legislation, including standard contractual clauses or transfers to jurisdictions providing an adequate level of protection.

7. Your rights

Subject to applicable law, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate or out-of-date information.
• Delete your account and your personal data (subject to retention obligations described below).
• Object to or restrict certain processing of your personal data.
• Withdraw consent at any time, where processing is based on consent.
• Lodge a complaint with the South African Information Regulator or the equivalent supervisory authority in your country.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@starlightgroupsa.co.za.

8. Data retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary to provide the service and fulfil the purposes described in this policy:

• Active listings: retained while live and for a short window after expiry to support reactivation and dispute resolution.
• Account data: retained while your account is active and for a reasonable period after closure.
• Records required by law: retained for the statutory period required by tax, accounting and other applicable laws.

9. Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to keep you signed in, remember your country and language preferences, run the age gate for adult sections and measure the performance of the site. You can control or block cookies through your browser settings, but parts of the service may not function properly without them.

10. Children's privacy

AfrikaFinds is not directed to children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. The Personals section is restricted to users 18 years and older. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can remove it.

11. Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure or destruction. These include encrypted connections, access controls, hashed passwords, audited row-level database security and regular reviews. No system is completely secure and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The revised policy will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Material changes will be notified to you by email or through a notice on the site.

13. Contact us

If you have questions, complaints or requests about this Privacy Policy or our handling of your personal information, please contact:

Starlight Group SA (Pty) Ltd
Privacy queries: privacy@starlightgroupsa.co.za
General support: support@starlightgroupsa.co.za
Website: www.afrikafinds.com