Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy describes how the Matjhabeng Local Municipality ("we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, discloses, and protects your personal information when you use the Matjhabeng Complaints Portal (the "Portal"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is collected and used properly, lawfully, and transparently in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and other applicable laws.

1. Information We Collect

When you use the Matjhabeng Complaints Portal, we may collect the following types of information:

1.1 Personal Information

• Identification Information: Full name, identity number, passport number, or other government-issued identification.
• Contact Information: Physical address, email address, telephone number, and mobile number.
• Demographic Information: Age, gender, language preference, and disability status (collected only when relevant to service delivery).
• Complaint Details: Description of your complaint, location of the issue, dates, and any supporting documentation you provide.

1.2 Non-Personal Information

• Technical Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device information, and cookies.
• Usage Information: Pages visited, time spent on the Portal, referral source, and search queries.
• Geolocation Data: Approximate location based on IP address or precise location if you grant permission.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To register, process, and track your complaint or service request.
• To communicate with you regarding your complaint, including providing updates and requesting additional information.
• To allocate your complaint to the appropriate municipal department for resolution.
• To improve our services, Portal functionality, and user experience.
• To comply with legal obligations, including reporting requirements and responding to lawful requests.
• To conduct analysis and reporting on complaint trends to improve municipal service delivery.
• To prevent, detect, and investigate fraud, security breaches, or other prohibited activities.

3. How We Share Your Information

We may share your personal information in the following circumstances:

• Internal Sharing: With relevant municipal departments and officials who need the information to address your complaint.
• Service Providers: With third-party service providers who assist us in operating the Portal, subject to confidentiality agreements.
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request.
• Public Interest: When necessary to protect the vital interests of you or another person, or for reasons of substantial public interest.
• Anonymized Data: We may share aggregated, anonymized data that does not identify you personally for statistical analysis and reporting.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

4. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Secure socket layer (SSL) encryption for data transmission.
• Restricted access to personal information on a need-to-know basis.
• Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing.
• Secure storage systems with access controls.
• Employee training on data protection and privacy.

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but we commit to taking all reasonable steps to protect your data.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Our retention periods are as follows:

• Active Complaints: Retained for the duration of the complaint resolution process.
• Resolved Complaints: Retained for 5 years after resolution for reference and statistical purposes.
• User Accounts: Retained while your account remains active and for 2 years after account deactivation.
• Legal Requirements: Certain information may be retained longer if required by law.

After the retention period expires, we will securely delete or anonymize your personal information.

6. Your Rights

Under POPIA and other applicable laws, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right to Access: You may request access to the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to Correction: You may request correction of inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated personal information.
• Right to Deletion: You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal limitations.
• Right to Object: You may object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Right to Restriction: You may request restriction of processing of your personal information.
• Right to Data Portability: You may request transfer of your personal information to another party in a structured format.
• Right to Lodge a Complaint: You may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator if you believe we have violated your privacy rights.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the "Contact Us" section below.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

The Matjhabeng Complaints Portal uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your user experience, analyze Portal usage, and support our marketing efforts. Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit our Portal.

We use the following types of cookies:

• Essential Cookies: Required for the Portal to function properly.
• Performance Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with the Portal.
• Functionality Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings.

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences. However, disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Portal.

8. Third-Party Links

The Portal may contain links to third-party websites, such as other municipal services or government departments. This Privacy Policy applies only to the Matjhabeng Complaints Portal. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

9. Children's Privacy

The Matjhabeng Complaints Portal is not intended for children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 18, please contact us immediately so we can take appropriate action.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the updated policy on the Portal with a new "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.