Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Traffic Alerts South Africa

Last updated: 07 January 2026

Traffic Alerts South Africa (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our website, mobile application, and related services.

1. Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to:

  • The Traffic Alerts South Africa mobile application
  • The Traffic Alerts South Africa website
  • All related services, features, and platforms operated by us

This service is intended for use in South Africa only.

2. Personal Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal information:

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

  • Name or nickname (you may use a pseudonym)
  • Email address
  • Mobile phone number
  • Password (stored securely and encrypted)
  • Profile information (optional), such as:
    • Business name
    • Website
    • Social media links
  • Verification documents (for verified users only)

2.2 Information Generated Through Use of the App

  • Alerts, comments, updates, and media you submit
  • Interaction data (comments, votes, follows)
  • Notification preferences
  • Points, ranks, and activity history

2.3 Automatically Collected Information

  • IP address
  • Device type, operating system, browser
  • Approximate location (used only to show relevant alerts, not exact tracking)
  • App usage statistics and diagnostics

3. Purpose of Collection

We collect and process personal information to:

  • Provide real-time traffic and safety alerts
  • Enable community reporting and engagement
  • Verify trusted contributors (e.g. EMS, traffic officers, recovery services)
  • Send notifications and alerts you opt into
  • Improve app performance and user experience
  • Prevent abuse, spam, and fraudulent activity
  • Comply with legal and regulatory requirements

4. Lawful Basis for Processing (POPIA)

We process personal information under the following lawful bases:

  • Consent – where you voluntarily provide information or opt into notifications
  • Contractual necessity – to provide app functionality
  • Legitimate interest – to ensure road safety, app integrity, and service improvement
  • Legal obligation – where required by law

5. Sharing of Personal Information

We do not sell your personal information.

We may share limited information only:

  • With service providers (hosting, analytics, notification services) under strict confidentiality
  • With authorities only if legally required
  • When necessary to protect users, public safety, or prevent serious harm

Publicly visible information may include:

  • Your chosen username
  • Alerts, comments, and updates you post
  • Rank or verification badge (if applicable)

6. Data Storage and Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information, including:

  • Encrypted connections (HTTPS)
  • Secure servers and access controls
  • Role-based access for administrators
  • Regular security reviews

Despite best efforts, no system is completely secure. You use the service at your own risk.

7. Data Retention

  • Personal data is retained only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined
  • Alerts and comments may remain visible for historical and safety reasons
  • You may request deletion or anonymisation of your personal data, subject to legal limitations

8. Your Rights Under POPIA

You have the right to:

  • Access your personal information
  • Request correction of inaccurate data
  • Request deletion or restriction of processing
  • Withdraw consent (where applicable)
  • Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa

Requests can be made via: privacy@trafficalerts.co.za

9. Children’s Information

Traffic Alerts South Africa is not intended for users under 18 years. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors.

10. Cookies and Tracking

We may use cookies or similar technologies on our website to:

  • Maintain sessions
  • Analyse usage
  • Improve performance

You can manage cookies via your browser settings.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Continued use of the service constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Details

For privacy-related queries email: privacy@trafficalerts.co.za