This policy explains how BuildsByBuchanan collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information, in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA).
📅 Effective: 1 January 2025📍 Cape Town, South Africa⚖ POPIA Compliant
BuildsByBuchanan is a software development and digital solutions business operated by Sivario Buchanan, based in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. We operate in partnership with Nexium Connect and Fortuin Consulting for certain services.
For the purposes of POPIA and this Privacy Policy, BuildsByBuchanan is the Responsible Party — meaning we determine the purpose and means of processing your personal information.
We collect only the personal information necessary to provide our services and communicate effectively with you. This may include:
Identity information: Your name, business name, and any identifying details you voluntarily provide
Contact information: Email address, WhatsApp or phone number
Project information: Details about your project requirements, business operations, and any materials you share with us
Payment information: Records of transactions — we do not store full banking details or card numbers
Communication records: WhatsApp messages, emails, and other written correspondence between you and BuildsByBuchanan
Technical information: If you use our website, basic analytics data such as page visits, device type, and approximate location may be collected via third-party analytics tools
Review information: Name, business name, rating, and review text if you submit a review via our website
We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal information (as defined by POPIA) such as race, ethnicity, health information, or biometric data. If you inadvertently share such information, it will be treated with the highest level of care and not used for any purpose other than the provision of services.
03
How We Collect It
We collect your personal information through the following channels:
Direct contact via WhatsApp, email, or our website contact form
Project briefs, onboarding questionnaires, or written proposals
Review submissions on our website
Automatic collection via website analytics tools (see Cookies section)
Referrals from third parties, where you have given permission for your details to be shared
We only collect information that you provide directly or that is generated through your use of our services and website. We do not purchase, scrape, or otherwise acquire personal information from third-party data brokers.
04
Why We Use Your Information
We use your personal information strictly for the following purposes:
To respond to enquiries and communicate with you about your project
To prepare quotes, proposals, and invoices
To perform the services agreed upon and deliver Deliverables
To process payments and maintain financial records as required by law
To send project updates and communicate progress
To publish approved client reviews on our website (name and review only — no contact details)
To comply with legal obligations, including record-keeping requirements
To improve our website and services using anonymised analytics data
To send occasional follow-up messages regarding completed projects or new service offerings — you may opt out at any time
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party for marketing purposes. Ever.
05
Legal Basis for Processing
Under POPIA, we process your personal information on the following grounds:
Contractual necessity: Processing required to enter into or perform our agreement with you (e.g., delivering your project, invoicing)
Legitimate interest: Processing necessary for our legitimate business interests where those interests are not overridden by your rights (e.g., maintaining project records, basic analytics)
Legal obligation: Processing required to comply with applicable South African law (e.g., financial record-keeping)
Consent: Where we rely on your consent (e.g., for marketing communications), you may withdraw that consent at any time by contacting us
06
How Long We Keep It
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Our standard retention periods are:
Client records and project files: 5 years from project completion, as required for financial and legal compliance
Communication records (WhatsApp, email): Up to 3 years, or as required for dispute resolution
Published reviews: Retained indefinitely while on our website; removed upon written request
Website analytics data: As determined by the relevant third-party analytics platform's data retention policies
Payment records: 5 years as required by South African tax law
When personal information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or anonymised.
07
Who We Share It With
We treat your personal information as confidential. We may share it in the following limited circumstances:
Partner businesses: Nexium Connect and Fortuin Consulting, where your project involves their services. These parties are bound by equivalent confidentiality obligations.
Service providers: Third-party platforms we use to deliver services (e.g., email, payment processing, form handling) — only to the extent necessary and subject to their own privacy policies
Legal requirements: If required by law, court order, or regulatory authority
Business transfer: In the unlikely event of a business sale or transfer, your information may be transferred to the successor — you will be notified in advance
We do not share your personal information with advertisers, data brokers, social media platforms, or any third party for commercial purposes not directly related to delivering your project.
08
Third-Party Services
BuildsByBuchanan uses the following third-party platforms in the course of operating our website and business. Each has its own privacy policy:
Netlify — Website hosting and form processing (netlify.com/privacy)
Web3Forms — Contact form submissions (web3forms.com/privacy)
Google Fonts — Font loading (fonts.google.com; Google may collect usage data)
WhatsApp (Meta) — Client communication (whatsapp.com/legal/privacy-policy)
Gmail (Google) — Email communication (policies.google.com/privacy)
PayPal — Payment processing for applicable transactions (paypal.com/privacy)
BuildsByBuchanan is not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party services. We encourage you to review their policies where relevant.
09
Cookies & Tracking
Our website may use cookies and similar tracking technologies. These fall into the following categories:
Essential cookies: Necessary for the website to function correctly. These cannot be disabled.
Analytics cookies: Used to understand how visitors interact with our website (e.g., page views, device type). This data is aggregated and anonymised where possible.
We do not use advertising or tracking cookies that follow you across other websites. We do not serve ads on our website, and we do not participate in third-party advertising networks.
You can control cookie settings through your browser. Disabling certain cookies may affect your experience of the website, but essential functionality will remain available. Continued use of our website constitutes acceptance of our use of cookies as described here.
10
Security
BuildsByBuchanan takes reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:
Use of reputable, secure third-party platforms for communication and data storage
Password-protected systems and restricted access to client information
HTTPS encryption on our website
Not storing sensitive payment information (card numbers, banking details) directly
No method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we take your data security seriously and apply industry-standard protections, BuildsByBuchanan cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights, we will notify you and the Information Regulator as required by POPIA.
You are responsible for maintaining the security of any credentials (passwords, login details) provided to you by BuildsByBuchanan, and for notifying us immediately if you suspect unauthorised access to your account or project files.
11
Your Rights
Under POPIA, you have the following rights in relation to your personal information:
Right of access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
Right to correction: You may request that inaccurate or incomplete information be corrected
Right to deletion: You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to our legal retention obligations
Right to object: You may object to the processing of your personal information for direct marketing purposes at any time
Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing
Right to lodge a complaint: You may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe your rights have been violated
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days of receiving your request. We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests.
Please note that some rights are subject to limitations — for example, we cannot delete information we are legally required to retain, or information necessary to complete an ongoing project.
Information Regulator (South Africa)
inforegulator.org.za
You may lodge complaints regarding POPIA violations
Our services are directed at businesses and adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of 18. If you are under 18, please do not submit any personal information through our website or contact channels without the consent and involvement of a parent or legal guardian.
If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a minor without appropriate consent, we will take immediate steps to delete that information from our records.
13
Changes to This Policy
BuildsByBuchanan reserves the right to update this Privacy Policy at any time. The current version will always be published at this URL on our website, with the effective date updated accordingly.
Material changes — such as new categories of data collected or new sharing practices — will be communicated to active clients via email or WhatsApp where reasonably practicable.
Continued use of our website or services after changes are published constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to the updated Policy, you should cease using our services and contact us to request deletion of your data.
14
Contact & Complaints
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights, or have concerns about how your personal information is handled, please contact us directly:
We take privacy concerns seriously and will respond to all complaints promptly. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to escalate your complaint to the Information Regulator of South Africa at inforegulator.org.za.