Last updated: 10 April 2025
The Bitou Social Development Forum (BSDF) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa. This policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share your personal information when you engage with our website or become a member of the Forum.
1. Information We Collect
We may collect the following personal information:
- Name
- Email address
- Contact number
This information is collected through:
- Website contact forms
- Membership applications
2. How We Use Your Information
Your personal information is used to:
- Respond to your enquiries
- Communicate with you about BSDF updates, events, or meetings
- Manage and support your membership
- Facilitate communication among BSDF members
3. Sharing of Information
We may share basic member information (name, organisation, email, contact number) with other members of the Forum to enable collaboration and transparency.
We do not sell or share your information with third parties for marketing or commercial purposes.
4. Third-Party Services
We use the following tools to operate our website:
- Google Analytics – for understanding how visitors use our site (data is anonymised)
- WordPress and Elementor – for managing website design and content
These services may use cookies or track basic usage data, but they do not access your personal contact information.
5. Data Storage & Security
Your personal information is securely stored on a password-protected OneDrive cloud account, which is only accessible to members of the BSDF Executive Committee.
We take reasonable technical and organisational steps to protect your data from loss, misuse, or unauthorized access.
6. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as you are a member of BSDF. When your membership ends, we will securely delete your information, unless it must be kept for legal or reporting reasons.
7. Your Rights Under POPIA
You have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Request corrections or updates
- Ask for your data to be deleted
- Withdraw your consent to processing
To make a request, please contact us using the details below.
8. Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about how your information is used, please reach out to:
BSDF Secretary
Email: Secretary@bsdf.africa
Phone: 0445335616