Effective Date: 18 July 2025
1. Introduction
Mediation Zone (hereinafter referred to as “MZ”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (POPIA), and other applicable South African laws. By engaging with our services or accessing our website, you consent to the processing of your personal information as described in this policy.
2. Information Officer
Our Information Officer, responsible for ensuring compliance with POPIA, is:
Name: Schalk Strydom
Email: schalk@mediation.zone
Cell: +27 74 601 3151
3. Definitions (as per POPIA)
- “Personal Information” means information relating to an identifiable, living, natural person, and where it is applicable, an identifiable, existing juristic person, including, but not limited to:
- information relating to the race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, national, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental health, well-being, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth of the person;
- information relating to the education or the medical, financial, criminal or employment history of the person;
- any identifying number, symbol, e-mail address, physical address, telephone number, location information, online identifier or other particular assignment to the person;
- the biometric information of the person;
- the personal opinions, views or preferences of the person;
- correspondence sent by the person that is implicitly or explicitly of a private or confidential nature or further correspondence that would reveal the contents of the original correspondence;
- the views or opinions of another individual about the person; and
- the name of the person if it appears with other personal information relating to the person or if the disclosure of the name itself would reveal information about the person.
- “Processing” means any operation or activity or any set of operations, whether or not by automatic means, concerning personal information, including: the collection, receipt, recording, organisation, collation, storage, updating or modification, retrieval, alteration, consultation or use; dissemination by means of transmission, distribution or making available in any other form; merging, linking, as well as restriction, degradation, erasure or destruction of information.
- “Data Subject” means the person to whom personal information relates.
4. Collection of Personal Information
We collect personal information directly from you when you:
- Complete our Client Registration Form (digital or physical). This includes:
- Personal details (Title, Full Name, Date of Birth, ID No., Email, Cell No., Phone No.).
- Residential and postal addresses.
- Employment information (Employer, Occupation, Employer Address).
- Legal representative details (if applicable).
- Provide details about your case (Court Case No., Type of Matter, Short Description of Assistance Required, presence of Court Orders, Time of Referral).
- Provide information about children involved in family matters (Full Name, Date of Birth, Gender, ID No. if available).
- Submit financial information for maintenance calculations, including household income and expenditure, proof of income, and proof of expenses.
- Communicate with us via email, phone, or our website contact forms.
- Apply to become an affiliated mediator (franchisee), providing qualifications, experience, and contact details.
- Engage with our website, where we may collect technical data such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, and Browse activity through cookies and analytics.
5. Purpose and Legal Basis for Processing
We collect and process your personal information for the following specific purposes, based on the following legal grounds:
- To provide mediation services: We process your personal information to facilitate, manage, and deliver the specific mediation services you request.
- Legal Basis: Performance of a contract with you, or steps taken at your request to enter into a contract.
- To manage affiliated mediators: We process information of affiliated mediators to onboard, manage, and support their integration into the Mediation Zone network.
- Legal Basis: Performance of a contract with the affiliated mediator.
- For communication: To respond to your inquiries, send service updates, and provide relevant information.
- Legal Basis: Legitimate interest (to operate our business and communicate effectively), or consent where required.
- For invoicing and payment processing: To generate quotes, invoices, and process payments for services rendered.
- Legal Basis: Performance of a contract with you; Legal obligation (tax and accounting).
- For legal and regulatory compliance: To meet our obligations under South African law, including POPIA, and respond to lawful requests from authorities.
- Legal Basis: Legal obligation.
- For internal operations and improvements: To analyse and improve our services, website functionality, and business processes.
- Legal Basis: Legitimate interest (to improve our services and user experience).
- To maintain confidentiality: To uphold the confidential nature of the mediation process as outlined in our terms and agreements.
- Legal Basis: Performance of a contract with you; Legal obligation; Legitimate interest.
6. Consent
Where required by POPIA, we will obtain your explicit consent for the collection and processing of your personal information, particularly for sensitive personal information or for purposes beyond the direct provision of our mediation services. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by contacting our Information Officer, but such withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.
7. Disclosure of Personal Information We will not sell, rent, or lease your personal information to third parties. Your personal information may be disclosed to:
- Affiliated Mediators: Information directly relevant to your specific mediation case will be shared with the Mediation Zone affiliated mediator assigned to your matter, strictly for the purpose of facilitating the mediation.
- Service Providers: Trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business (e.g., IT support, payment processors, legal advisors), provided they are bound by confidentiality agreements and POPIA-compliant data processing agreements.
- Legal and Regulatory Authorities: When required by law, court order, or governmental regulation, or to protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of others.
- Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to appropriate confidentiality undertakings.
8. Cross-Border Data Transfers
In the course of providing international mediation services, your personal information may be transferred to, and stored at, a destination outside of South Africa. Such transfers will only occur if the recipient country has laws that provide an adequate level of protection, or if we have entered into agreements with the recipient that require them to protect your personal information to the same standard required by POPIA.
9. Data Security
We implement robust technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, loss, or destruction. These measures include:
- Secure servers and data storage.
- Encryption of sensitive data.
- Firewalls and intrusion detection systems.
- Access controls and user authentication protocols.
- Regular security assessments and updates.
- Confidentiality agreements with staff and third-party service providers.
While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.
10. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including for legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. The retention periods are determined based on the nature of the information and the purposes for which it is processed. Once your personal information is no longer required, it will be securely destroyed or de-identified.
11. Your Rights as a Data Subject (under POPIA)
As a data subject, you have the following rights concerning your personal information:
- Right to Access: You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you.
- Right to Correction/Rectification: You have the right to request that inaccurate or incomplete personal information be corrected or updated.
- Right to Deletion/Erasure: You have the right to request the destruction or deletion of your personal information under certain circumstances (e.g., if it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected).
- Right to Object to Processing: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information on reasonable grounds relating to your particular situation, unless processing is required by law.
- Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to request the restriction of processing of your personal information under certain conditions.
- Right to Data Portability: Where applicable, you have the right to receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to transmit that data to another responsible party.
- Right to Complain: You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator if you believe your rights under POPIA have been infringed.
Contact details for the Information Regulator (South Africa): Website: https://www.justice.gov.za/inforeg/
Email: inforeg@justice.gov.za
Physical Address: JD House, 27 Stiemens Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2001
To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Information Officer using the contact details provided in Section 2 of this policy.
12. Children’s Privacy
Our services are not intended for direct use by children without parental or guardian consent. Where we collect personal information pertaining to children (e.g., for parenting plans), it is done with the explicit consent of their parents or legal guardians, and solely for the purpose of the mediation service. We process children’s personal information with extreme care and sensitivity.
13. Direct Marketing
We will only send you direct marketing communications if you have consented to receive them, or as otherwise permitted by POPIA. You have the right to opt-out of receiving direct marketing communications at any time.
14. Cookies
Our website uses cookies to enhance your Browse experience. Cookies are small text files placed on your device. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of some parts of our website.
15. Changes to this Privacy Policy
Mediation Zone reserves the right to update or amend this Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Effective Date.” We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.