Privacy Policy

Effective date: 1 June 2025

Root Digital (Pty) Ltd, Johannesburg, South Africa

hello@rootdigital.co.za

1. Introduction and Who We Are

Root Digital (Pty) Ltd ("Root Digital", "we", "us", or "our") is a South African website-as-a-service company that builds, hosts, and maintains websites for small businesses across the country. We take the privacy and security of your personal information seriously, and this policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect that information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 ("POPIA"). By using our website or engaging our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this policy.

This policy applies to all personal information we collect through our website, our onboarding and contact forms, and any direct communication you have with us, whether as a prospective client, a current client, or a visitor to our site.

2. What Personal Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect your name, email address, and phone or WhatsApp number so that we can communicate with you about our services. Where you subscribe to a paid plan, we collect billing and payment information, which is processed securely on our behalf by Paystack — we do not store your card numbers or other sensitive payment card details on our own systems.

During onboarding, we may also collect business information you provide, such as your company name, industry, logo, branding preferences, and website content. Finally, when you browse our website, we may collect general browsing and usage data through cookies and analytics tools, such as the pages you visit, the device and browser you use, and how you interact with our site.

3. How We Collect It

We collect personal information directly from you through our payment and checkout forms when you subscribe to a plan, and through our contact and intake forms when you enquire about our services or provide details during onboarding. We also collect information automatically through cookies and analytics scripts when you browse our website, which help us understand how visitors use our site.

In addition, we collect information through direct communication with you, including emails and WhatsApp messages exchanged in the course of providing our services or responding to your enquiries.

4. Why We Collect It

We collect and use your personal information to deliver and manage your website subscription, including building, hosting, and maintaining your site. We also use it to process payments for your subscription and to send you service-related communications, such as welcome emails, invoices, renewal reminders, and important updates about your website or account.

We use your information to respond to enquiries and provide customer support, and to improve our website and services through an understanding of how our site and offerings are used. We will never use your personal information for purposes unrelated to these without first obtaining your consent.

5. How We Store and Protect It

Payment card data is handled entirely by Paystack, a PCI-DSS compliant payment processor. Root Digital never receives, processes, or stores your card details — this information is captured directly by Paystack's secure systems and is never visible to us.

Other personal information you provide to us, such as your name, contact details, and business information, is stored securely on systems with restricted access, limited to authorised Root Digital staff who require it to perform their duties. We apply reasonable technical and organisational measures, consistent with industry practice and the requirements of POPIA, to protect your information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or disclosure.

6. Who We Share It With

We share personal information only with trusted third-party service providers who help us deliver our services, and only to the extent necessary for them to perform their function. We use Paystack to process payments securely, Resend to deliver transactional emails such as invoices and account notifications, Vercel to host our website and underlying infrastructure, and Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website.

Each of these providers receives only the data necessary to perform its specific function and is bound by its own privacy policy and data processing terms. We do not sell your personal information to any third party, and we do not share it for marketing purposes without your consent.

7. Your Rights

Under POPIA, you have the right to access the personal information we hold about you, and to request that we correct any information that is inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated. You also have the right to request the deletion of your personal information, subject to any legal or contractual obligations that require us to retain certain records, such as financial and tax records.

You may also object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances, particularly where it is used for direct marketing. To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hello@rootdigital.co.za, and we will respond to your request within a reasonable time and in accordance with our obligations under POPIA.

8. Cookie Policy

We use analytics cookies, such as those from Google Analytics, to understand how visitors use our website, including which pages are viewed and how visitors navigate our site. These cookies do not identify you personally and are used solely to help us improve the experience and content of our website.

You can manage or disable cookies at any time through your browser settings, or by installing the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on. Please note that disabling cookies may affect certain functionality of our website.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, our services, or applicable law. When we do, we will revise the effective date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically, and your continued use of our website or services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

10. How to Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your personal information, please get in touch with us. You can email us at hello@rootdigital.co.za, message us on WhatsApp at +27 78 912 7893, or reach us at our offices in Johannesburg, South Africa.