Privacy Policy
1. Introduction
GSD Technology is committed to protecting your personal information and maintaining your trust. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and safeguard information in relation to our website, services, and client engagements, in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), No. 4 of 2013.
Our approach reflects our core principles of accountability, transparency, and long-term partnership.
2. Legal Basis for Processing
GSD Technology processes your personal information only where we have a lawful basis to do so, in accordance with section 11 of POPIA. Depending on the context, this basis will be one of the following:
- Consent: where you have voluntarily and knowingly provided information, for example by subscribing to a mailing list.
- Contract: where processing is necessary to perform our service agreement with you, for example using your contact and site details to deliver an installation.
- Legal obligation: where we are required to process information to comply with applicable law, for example tax, health and safety, or energy regulatory requirements.
- Legitimate interest: where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests and does not unreasonably affect your rights, for example basic website analytics.
Where consent is the basis for processing, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time by emailing privacy@gsdtechnology.co.za. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal.
3. Information We Collect
We collect only the information necessary to deliver our services effectively and maintain clear communication. This may include:
- Personal information such as name, contact details, and company information.
- Project information including property details, system requirements, and technical specifications.
- Communication data such as enquiries, correspondence, and support requests.
- Website usage data including basic analytics like page visits and interaction data.
We do not collect unnecessary or unrelated personal information.
4. How We Obtain and Record Consent
Where consent is our basis for processing, we obtain it in a manner that is specific, informed, and unambiguous, given through a clear affirmative action, in accordance with section 12 of POPIA. We collect consent through:
- Signed agreements that include a specific, clearly identified consent clause.
- Explicit opt-in checkboxes on our website. Boxes are never pre-ticked on your behalf.
- Email confirmations of consent for marketing or mailing list communications.
We maintain a record of each instance of consent, including the date, method, and form of confirmation. You may withdraw consent at any time as described in clause 2; withdrawal requests are recorded and take effect within 5 business days.
5. How We Use Your Information
Your information is used strictly to support the delivery of reliable and effective services. This includes:
- Responding to enquiries and providing quotations.
- Designing, installing, and maintaining solar energy systems.
- Delivering technical support and system monitoring.
- Improving system performance and service quality.
- Meeting legal and regulatory obligations.
We do not use your information for speculative or unrelated purposes.
6. Information Sharing
GSD Technology does not sell or trade personal information. Information may be shared only where necessary, including:
- With trusted suppliers and partners involved in project delivery.
- With regulatory bodies where required by law.
- With service providers supporting system performance or operations, such as hosting, CRM, or payment processing providers.
All third-party service providers who process personal information on our behalf are contractually bound by Data Processing Agreements that align with POPIA requirements. GSD Technology maintains a register of these sub-processors and will inform you of any material changes on request.
7. Data Security and Breach Notification
7.1 Security Measures
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your information against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse, including controlled access to sensitive data, secure storage systems, and responsible handling of client and project information. While no system can guarantee absolute security, we continuously apply best practices to minimise risk.
7.2 Data Breach Notification
If GSD Technology becomes aware of a security compromise that has led, or may reasonably lead, to unauthorised access to or acquisition of personal information, we will, in accordance with section 22 of POPIA:
- Notify the Information Regulator as soon as reasonably possible after becoming aware of the breach.
- Notify affected data subjects without undue delay, and in any event no later than 30 days, where there is a reasonable risk of harm, unless a public body or the Regulator advises that notification would impede a criminal investigation.
- Provide sufficient information for affected individuals to take protective measures, including a description of the breach, the personal information affected, and the remediation steps taken.
You may report a suspected breach to privacy@gsdtechnology.co.za.
8. Data Retention
We retain information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, maintain ongoing service and support relationships, and comply with legal and regulatory requirements, in accordance with section 14 of POPIA. Specific retention periods are:
- Client contact and contract data: 5 years from the end of the relationship, to support warranty claims and dispute resolution.
- Financial and invoice data: 7 years, in line with South African tax record-keeping requirements.
- Website analytics data: 12 months.
- Marketing mailing lists: until you withdraw consent.
After the applicable retention period, information is securely deleted or anonymised unless a legal hold requires continued retention.
9. Cookies and Website Tracking
Our website may use cookies or similar technologies to improve functionality and understand user interaction. We use the following categories of cookies:
- Strictly necessary cookies, required for core website functionality. These do not require consent.
- Analytics cookies, used to understand general usage patterns and improve user experience. These are only placed with your consent.
On your first visit to our website, you will be shown a cookie notice allowing you to accept or decline analytics cookies. Your choice is recorded and respected on future visits. You may also manage or disable cookies at any time through your browser settings.
10. Your Rights
In accordance with section 24 of POPIA, you have the right to:
- Request access to your personal information.
- Request correction of inaccurate or outdated information.
- Request deletion of information where applicable.
- Object to or restrict certain types of processing.
To exercise any of these rights, send a signed request to privacy@gsdtechnology.co.za, including reasonable proof of identity. GSD Technology will respond within 30 days. No fee applies unless a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, in which case we may charge a reasonable administrative fee not exceeding R50 per hour. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.
11. Compliance with South African Law
GSD Technology processes personal information in accordance with applicable data protection regulations, including POPIA. We are committed to lawful, fair, and transparent data processing practices, and to cooperating with the Information Regulator in the event of any complaint or investigation.
12. Updates to This Policy
This Privacy Policy may be updated periodically to reflect changes in legal requirements or operational practices. The latest version will always be available on our website.
13. Contact
For any questions regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact:
GSD Technology
Email: privacy@gsdtechnology.co.za
Phone: +27 63 550 8560
At GSD Technology, protecting your information is part of delivering a reliable, accountable service. We treat your data with the same level of care and responsibility as the systems we design and support.