Privacy Policy
Last updated: 7 November 2026
1. Who we are
This website is operated by SmartBite Retail (Pty) Ltd ("SmartBite", "we", "us"), which places automated vending machines on school campuses in Gauteng, South Africa. For the purposes of the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 ("POPIA"), SmartBite is the responsible party for the personal information described in this policy.
Questions, requests and complaints about privacy can be sent to our Information Officer at [email protected].
2. What we collect
| Enquiry form | Your name, school name, position, school area in Gauteng, email address and phone number, and the time you ticked the consent box. The form sends this to us as an email, and we send you one automatic confirmation email at the address you gave (at most once a day per address). We do not keep it in a website database. |
|---|---|
| Emails you send us | Your email address and anything you choose to write to us. |
| Technical data | Like any website, our web host (GoDaddy) keeps standard server logs (such as IP address, browser type and the pages requested) for security and reliability. The enquiry form also keeps a short-lived, anonymous counter (your IP address is scrambled with a secret key, and deleted within hours) to stop spam and abuse. For the same purpose we use a one-time form token, scrambled (hashed) markers of your email address kept for up to 24 hours, and a check that your email domain can receive mail. When you submit the form we also check your IP address against our own block list and public spam and abuse block lists (which means your IP address is sent in a DNS lookup to those lists). If a request breaks our rules (for example a failed security check or a forged form), we record the date, your IP address and the reason in a private security log kept for 30 days, and we may block that IP address for 24 hours or longer. We do not use either to profile you. |
We do not ask for, and you should not send us, learners' personal information, ID numbers, or financial details through this website.
3. Why we use it
- To respond to your enquiry and arrange a campus visit, site assessment or placement proposal.
- To follow up about that proposal, and to manage any agreement that results from it.
- To keep records, protect our business and meet our legal obligations.
We rely on your consent (given when you tick the box on the form) and on our legitimate interest in answering business enquiries that you have asked us to answer (POPIA section 11). We will not use your details for unrelated marketing without asking you first.
4. Who we share it with
We do not sell or rent personal information. We share it only with:
- Service providers that help us run this website and handle enquiries, namely our web host and domain registrar (GoDaddy) and our email provider. They may only use it on our instructions and must protect it.
- Professional advisers, authorities or courts where the law requires or allows it.
Some of these providers may store information on servers outside South Africa. Where that happens we take reasonable steps to make sure the information stays protected to a standard comparable to POPIA.
5. How long we keep it
We keep your enquiry details only for as long as we need them for the purposes above. If no agreement follows, we delete them within 12 months of our last contact. If an agreement is concluded, we keep the relevant records for as long as the agreement runs and for the period the law requires afterwards. After that we delete or de-identify them.
6. How we protect it
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, misuse and unauthorised access. These include encrypted (HTTPS) connections, a restrictive browser security policy on this website, spam and abuse protection on the enquiry form, and limiting access to enquiries to the people who need them. No system is completely secure, so if we ever suspect your information has been compromised we will notify you and the Information Regulator as POPIA requires.
7. Cookies, storage and third-party content
- We do not use advertising or tracking cookies, and we do not run analytics on this website.
- If you use the light/dark switch, your choice is saved in your own browser (local storage) so it is remembered. It never leaves your device and you can clear it at any time.
- Our fonts, images and almost all scripts are served from our own web host, so your browser does not contact Google or any advertising or analytics company when you visit. The exceptions are (a) a small open-source smooth-scrolling script (Lenis) that your browser fetches from the jsDelivr content network, and (b) the "I am not a robot" check beside the enquiry form (Cloudflare Turnstile), which your browser loads from Cloudflare and which receives your IP address and browser signals to tell people from bots. Cloudflare acts as our service provider for this check. These two providers see your IP address and browser details, as with any web request. We do not receive that information from them.
8. Your rights
Under POPIA you may, at any time:
- ask us whether we hold personal information about you and request a copy;
- ask us to correct or delete information that is inaccurate, outdated or no longer needed;
- object to our processing, or withdraw your consent (this does not affect what we did before you withdrew it); and
- lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.
To use any of these rights, email [email protected]. We may need to confirm your identity first, and we aim to respond within 30 days.
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information you can complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa): inforegulator.org.za/complaints, or [email protected]. We would appreciate the chance to put things right first.
9. Children
This website is meant for school management teams, governing bodies and other adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from learners or children through it. If you think a child has sent us information, please tell us and we will delete it.
10. Website notice
- Information only. The content of this website is general information about SmartBite's service. It is not an offer capable of acceptance. The terms of any placement, including rental, products, pilot period and removal, are those set out in a written agreement signed by SmartBite and the school.
- Sample range. The products shown are an illustrative sample. The final range is agreed with each school and depends on availability. Nutritional descriptions such as "zero sugar" or "low GI" refer to the manufacturers' product information.
- Trademarks and images. Third-party brand names, logos and product images are the property of their respective owners, are used for illustration only, and do not mean those owners endorse or are partnered with SmartBite. If you are a rights holder and would like an image changed or removed, email [email protected].
- Links and liability. We try to keep this website accurate and available, but provide it "as is". To the extent the law allows, SmartBite is not liable for loss arising from your use of, or reliance on, this website, or from third-party websites it links to. Nothing here limits any right you have under law that cannot be limited.
- Governing law. This website and policy are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa.
11. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows when it last changed. If a change is significant, we will say so on the website.
12. Contact
SmartBite Retail (Pty) Ltd
Email: [email protected]