The Experts Register PRIVACY POLICY

1.  INTRODUCTION   Unless the context clearly indicates the contrary, any capitalised term in this Privacy Policy shall bear the same meaning as if in lower case as defined in The Experts Register Website’s Terms located on the left hand side of the e-Services website screen and upon registration, which definitions shall be deemed to have been incorporated herein by reference.
2. COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW   Protecting User privacy is of utmost importance to The Experts Register. Accordingly, The Experts Register has developed this Privacy Policy in order to safeguard the User’s personal information and to protect the confidentiality thereof. In so doing, The Experts Register has paid particular attention to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act, 108 of 1996, the Electronic Communications Act, 25 of 2002 and the Protection of Personal Information Act No. 4 of 2013 and the common law so as to ensure compliance with all relevant statutory requirements and best practice under South African law.
3. NO LIABILITY FOR UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURE   While The Experts Register will do all things reasonably necessary to protect the User’s rights of privacy whilst on The Experts Register website, The Experts Register cannot accept any liability whatsoever for unauthorized or unlawful disclosure of the User’s or Member’s personal and confidential information, by third parties who are not subject to The Experts Register’s control.
4. PERSONAL INFORMATION   For purposes of this Privacy Policy, “personal information” includes the User’s initials, surname, first name, passport number/identity number, date of birth, gender,  cell phone number, e-mail address, home telephone number, work telephone number, fax number, residential address, postal address, initial of spouse, first name of spouse, identity number of spouse, date of birth of spouse, name of a non-relative and contact number (required for purposes of registration) account numbers where accounts or invoices are transmitted via e-mail and information pertaining to juristic persons (e.g. Company Name, Company registration number).
5. CONSENT TO COLLECTION   By accepting The Experts Register Website Terms, the User consents to The Experts Register’s collection of personal information on an ongoing basis for the continued duration of the User’s relationship with The Experts Register, subject to the limitations set out in this Privacy Policy.
6. COLLECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION The Experts Register collects personal information where such personal information is necessary for the purposes mentioned in clause 4 and more generally, to provide a particular Service. In addition, The Experts Register also collects personal information  for purposes of (i) improving its Service offering, (ii) increasing Service efficiency, (iii) communicating with Users, (iv) providing the Services to Users, (v) authenticating a User, (vi) providing a User with access to restricted pages on the Website and (vii) compiling non-personal statistical information about browsing habits, click patterns and access to the Website.
7. COOKIES The Experts Register uses cookie technology which comprises tiny pieces of data or a small text file that is stored on a User’s computer hard drive and which contains information about a User, so that the next time a User visits the Website, the cookie reminds The Experts Register of who the User is, enabling The Experts Register to achieve its goal of providing a valuable online experience to all Users. Users are however able to, disable this cookie technology in their own Internet browser.
8. CUSTOMER DATA   The User Data collected by The Experts Register is used solely in connection with granting Users access to the Website and for purposes of monitoring the User’s use of the Website so as to limit or prevent breaches of security.
9. DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION   The Experts Register will not disclose any personal information it collects to any third party without the User’s consent, except to organisations where The Experts Register is required to do so by law. The Experts Register will also provide personal information where The Experts Register believes that the disclosure of such personal information is necessary to identify, contact or institute legal proceedings against third parties who jeopardise the provision and rendering of the Services by The Experts Register.
10. RETENTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION   All personal information is stored on The Experts Register registration database until such time as the User elects to deregister itself from the Services. As such, all personal information will be retained only for as long as it is necessary to fulfill the purposes mentioned in clauses 4 and 6 above.
11. ACCURATE AND UP TO DATE   The User undertakes to keep personal information it submits as accurate, complete and up to date as is necessary for the purposes mentioned in clause 4 and 6 above, and The Experts Register shall, from time to time, update its personal information on the Website. Users are able to review or update any personally identifiable information that The Experts Register holds on the User by accessing its account online or by e-mailing The Experts Register. In order to better protect Users and safeguard personal information, The Experts Register does not verify a User’s identity before granting access to its account or making any corrections to its personal information. Access to a User’s data is password protected. As part of its routine maintenance, The Experts Register removes undelivered e-mail addresses from its database after a period of three months.
12. SECURITY   The Experts Register uses encryption, firewalls and other security technology and procedures to help protect the confidentiality of personal information and prevent unauthorized access or improper use thereof. All personal information will be stored and securely hosted and located in a secure environment