01. Who We Are

Southern Ambition 1229 CC trading as Techniclad is a South African supplier of premium stone veneer products for residential and commercial design projects. Our registered address is 44 Blue Crane Road, Monte Christo, Hartenbos, Mossel Bay, South Africa. For privacy-related inquiries, contact our Information Officer at privacy@techniclad.co.za or +27 84 751 2016.

02. What Personal Information We Collect

We collect personal information necessary to provide our products and services. Depending on how you interact with us, this may include:

• Identity Information: Full name, title, or company name (for juristic persons).
• Contact Information: Email address, phone number, postal or physical address.
• Transaction Information: Purchase details, payment method (e.g., credit card type, not full numbers), order history, and delivery address.
• Stockist Application Information: Business name, contact details, and professional credentials (e.g., for architects or designers).
• Website Usage Data: IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and cookies (see our Cookie Policy for details).
• Marketing Preferences: Consent to receive newsletters, promotions, or updates.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18 without parental consent.

03. Why We Collect Personal Information

We collect your personal information for specific, lawful purposes related to our business operations, including:

• To process and fulfill your orders for TechniClad products, including delivery arrangements.
• To respond to inquiries, provide customer support, and manage your account.
• To evaluate and onboard stockists or showroom partners (e.g., architects, designers, design trade professionals).
• To improve our website, products, and services through usage analysis and feedback.
• To send you marketing communications (e.g., newsletters, promotions) if you’ve opted in.
• To comply with legal obligations, such as tax or consumer protection laws.

We only process your information where we have a lawful basis under POPIA, such as your consent, contractual necessity, or legitimate business interests.

04. How We Collect Personal Information

We collect your personal information in the following ways:

• Directly from You: When you place an order, fill out a contact form, apply to become a stockist, sign up for our newsletter, or contact us via email or phone.
• Automatically: Through website technologies like cookies, which track your browsing behavior (e.g., pages visited, time spent). You can manage cookie preferences via our Cookie Banner.
• From Third Parties: From payment processors (e.g., bank confirmation of payment), delivery services (e.g., address verification), or stockist referrals (e.g., business contact details), where applicable.

We aim to collect only what’s necessary and will inform you if providing information is voluntary or mandatory.

05. How We Use Your Personal Information

Your personal information is used to:

• Process and ship your TechniClad orders efficiently.
• Communicate with you about your purchases, inquiries, or stockist applications.
• Personalize your experience on our website and tailor marketing (with consent).
• Analyze website performance and customer trends to enhance our offerings.
• Maintain records for legal, tax, or auditing purposes.
• Prevent fraud or unauthorized transactions.

We will not use your information for purposes beyond what’s outlined here unless we notify you and, where required, obtain your consent.

06. Who Has Access to Your Personal Information

We limit access to your personal information to those who need it for the purposes above, including:

• TechniClad Staff: Employees handling orders, customer service, or stockist coordination.
• Service Providers: Third parties like payment gateways (e.g., PayFast), delivery couriers (e.g., The Courier Guy), and IT support (e.g., website hosting)—all bound by POPIA-compliant agreements.
• Stockists: If you’re a customer referred by a stockist, we may share order details with them to facilitate service.
• Legal Authorities: If required by law, court order, or to protect our rights (e.g., fraud prevention).

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

07. How We Protect Your Personal Information

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to safeguard your data, including:

• Encryption for online transactions and data storage.
• Access controls to limit who can view your information.
• Regular security reviews of our systems and third-party providers.
• Secure packaging and tracking for physical deliveries.

If a data breach occurs, we will notify you and the Information Regulator as required by POPIA, taking swift action to mitigate harm.

08. Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request details of the information we hold about you.
• Correction: Ask us to update or correct inaccurate data.
• Deletion: Request removal of your data if it’s no longer needed (subject to legal retention obligations).
• Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing.
• Restriction: Ask us to limit how we use your data in certain cases.
• Notification: Be informed if your data is accessed without authorization.

To exercise these rights, contact our Information Officer at privacy@techniclad.co.za. We’ll respond within a reasonable timeframe, typically 30 days.

09. Cross Border Data Transfers 

If we transfer your personal information outside South Africa (e.g., to a supplier’s server or international courier), we ensure:

• The recipient country has adequate data protection laws; or
• We have binding agreements in place to uphold POPIA standards.
  For example, payment processors or hosting services may operate globally, but we only work with partners who meet our privacy requirements.

10. Retention of Your Personal Information

We retain your data only as long as necessary:

• Transaction records for 5 years (per South African tax laws).
• Marketing consents until you opt out.
• Stockist applications for 2 years unless a partnership is active.
• Website analytics data for 12 months.
  After this, we securely delete or anonymize your information unless legally required to keep it longer.

11. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies to enhance your website experience (e.g., remembering cart items, analyzing traffic). Our Cookie Policy details what we collect and how to manage preferences via our Cookie Banner. You can opt out of non-essential cookies at any time.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect legal or operational changes. The latest version will be posted on our website with the effective date. Significant changes will be communicated via email or a website notice if you’re a registered customer.

13. Contact Us

For questions, complaints, or to exercise your rights, reach out to:

Information Officer: Jannie Scott

Email: privacy@techniclad.co.za

Phone: +27 84 751 2016

Address: 44 Blue Crane Street, Monte Christo, Hartenbos, Mossel Bay, South Africa]

If unsatisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator at:

Email: inforeg@justice.gov.za

Website: www.inforegulator.org.za