POPIA Compliance

Welcome to the Village Gazette. This page explains how we comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), South Africa's primary data protection law. While we do not collect personal information through user registration or databases, we are committed to transparency and respect for your privacy rights under POPIA.

Scope and Applicability

POPIA applies to any responsible party that processes personal information within South Africa. The Village Gazette, as a news publisher, collects limited personal information automatically through website analytics, server logs, and cookies. This includes IP addresses, browser types, and usage patterns — all of which are processed solely for site functionality, traffic analysis, and content improvement.

Your Rights Under POPIA

Under POPIA, you have the following rights:

• Right to access your personal information held by us
• Right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to request deletion of your personal information
• Right to object to processing of your information
• Right to be informed about how and why your information is used

How We Comply

We do not store personal information in identifiable databases. Any data collected via analytics tools is aggregated and anonymized. We do not sell, share, or disclose personal information to third parties except as required by law. We use secure, privacy-compliant tools for analytics and ensure all data processing aligns with POPIA’s eight conditions for lawful processing.

Data We Process

The only personal information we may process includes:

• IP addresses (automatically logged for security and analytics)
• Browser and device information (for site optimization)
• Clickstream and page visit data (anonymized and aggregated)

This data is not linked to any individual identity and is retained only as long as necessary for analytical purposes.

Legal Basis for Processing

Our processing of personal information is based on:

• Legitimate interest — to ensure site functionality, security, and content relevance
• Public interest — to provide timely, factual news to our community

We do not rely on consent for this processing, as it is not feasible for automated, non-identifiable data collection in a news context.

How to Exercise Your Rights

If you wish to access, correct, or delete any personal information we may hold about you, please contact us directly via email at [email protected]. Include your full name, contact details, and a clear description of your request. We will respond without undue delay.

Response Timeframes

Under POPIA, we are required to respond to your request within 20 business days. If we need additional time, we will notify you in writing with the reason for the delay.

No Discrimination Policy

We will not deny you access to our content, charge you fees, or provide a different level of service because you exercise your rights under POPIA.

Updates and Changes

We may update this compliance page from time to time to reflect changes in POPIA or our practices. The most recent version will always be posted here with an updated effective date.

Contact Information

For any questions, requests, or complaints regarding your personal information under POPIA, please contact:

Elara Mkhize
1 Musgrave Rd, Berea, Durban, 4001, South Africa
Email: [email protected]

You may also lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa at www.justice.gov.za/inforeg/.