Portalis Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy complies with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (Act No. 4 of 2013) ("POPIA").

This policy applies to all personal information processed by Portalis, including information collected through our website (https://portalis.co.za), our WhatsApp support service, and any other interactions you have with us.

We may collect and process the following categories of personal information, depending on how you interact with us:

• Identifying Information: Your name, surname, and date of birth.
• Contact Information: Your email address, phone number, and physical address (if provided).
• Academic Information: Your final Grade 11 or Grade 12 subjects, percentages, and your calculated APS score.
• User Preferences: Your preferred field of study, interests, province, and university choices.
• Communication Data: Any information you share with us via WhatsApp, email, or our website contact forms.
• Technical Data: Your IP address, browser type, device information, and usage data when you visit our website (via cookies).

We collect personal information directly from you:

• When you enter your subjects and grades on our APS calculator.
• When you use our course matching tool.
• When you contact us via WhatsApp or email.
• When you download brochures or sign up for updates.

We collect and process your personal information for the following specific, explicitly defined, and lawful purposes:

• To calculate your APS score based on your subject percentages.
• To match you with suitable university courses based on your APS, interests, and location.
• To provide you with relevant university brochures and application guidance.
• To respond to your queries via WhatsApp and email.
• To improve our website, tools, and user experience.
• To comply with legal or regulatory obligations.

Under POPIA, we process your personal information based on one or more of the following lawful grounds:

• Consent: You have voluntarily provided your information and agreed to our processing of it for APS calculation and course matching.
• Legitimate Interests: We process information to improve our services and provide you with accurate university application guidance, provided your rights do not override these interests.
• Legal Obligations: Where we are required to process information to comply with South African law.

• Voluntary Information: Most of the information you provide (e.g., subjects, percentages, interests) is voluntary. You are not legally required to provide this information.
• Consequences of Non-Provision: If you choose not to provide your subjects and percentages, we will be unable to calculate your APS score or match you with relevant courses. If you choose not to provide contact details, we may be unable to assist you via WhatsApp or email.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share your information with the following categories of recipients only where necessary:

• Service Providers: Third-party companies that help us operate our website, provide analytics, or manage our WhatsApp communication. These providers are bound by strict confidentiality and security obligations.
• University Portals (if applicable): If we assist you in submitting applications through CAO or individual university portals, we may share your information with those institutions only with your explicit consent.
• Legal Authorities: Where required by law, court order, or to protect our legal rights.

If we transfer your personal information to a third party or service provider located outside of South Africa, we will ensure that such transfer complies with Section 72 of POPIA. This means we will only transfer your data if:

• The recipient country has data protection laws that provide an adequate level of protection; or
• We have a binding agreement with the recipient that upholds POPIA principles; or
• You have provided explicit consent to the transfer.

We may use your contact details to send you direct marketing communications about our services, similar products, or application guidance, only if you have provided your consent.

• You may object to receiving direct marketing at any time, free of charge, by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any marketing email or by contacting us directly.
• We will not send you unsolicited marketing communications via email, SMS, or WhatsApp without your prior consent.
• Each marketing communication we send will contain the identity of the sender and an address or contact details to request that such communications cease.

We use automated processing to calculate your APS score and match you with courses based on your input. However:

• You will not be subject to any decision that has legal consequences for you based solely on this automated processing.
• If we make any automated decision that significantly affects you, we will provide you with sufficient information about the underlying logic and give you an opportunity to make representations.

Our website uses cookies to improve your browsing experience and analyze website traffic. When you first visit our site, you will see a cookie consent banner where you can:

• Accept all cookies.
• Decline non-essential cookies.
• Customise your cookie preferences.

We only load non-essential cookies (e.g., analytics or marketing cookies) after you have given your consent. You may withdraw your consent at any time by adjusting your browser settings or by clearing your cookies.

We will not retain your personal information for longer than is necessary to achieve the purpose for which it was collected. Specifically:

• APS calculation and course matching data will be retained for as long as you actively use our services.
• If you have not interacted with us for a period of 12 months, we will delete or de-identify your personal information.
• Where required by law or for legitimate business purposes (e.g., to resolve disputes), we may retain information for longer periods.

We take the security of your personal information seriously. We have implemented appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your information against loss, damage, unauthorised access, or unlawful processing, including:

• Encryption of data in transit (SSL/TLS).
• Access controls and strong passwords.
• Regular security reviews and updates.
• Staff training on POPIA compliance.

Security Breach Notification (Section 22): If we have reasonable grounds to believe that your personal information has been accessed or acquired by an unauthorised person, we will notify both the Information Regulator and you (where possible) as soon as reasonably possible after discovering the breach.

Under POPIA, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

To exercise any of the above rights, please contact our Information Officer at portalis.info@gmail.com or via the contact details in Section 19 below.

• Access Request: You may request access to your personal information. We will respond within a reasonable time and may charge a prescribed fee for this service.
• Correction/Deletion Request: You may request that we correct, destroy, or delete your personal information. We will respond as soon as reasonably practicable and within 30 days where possible.
• Objection to Processing: You may object to processing on reasonable grounds. Please provide your reasons for the objection.
• Withdraw Consent: You may withdraw your consent at any time by emailing us.

We will take steps to inform any third parties to whom your information has been disclosed of any corrections or deletions you request.

If you are not satisfied with our response to your request or believe we have handled your personal information improperly, please follow this process:

1. Contact our Information Officer first at portalis.info@gmail.com so we may resolve your concern.
2. If the issue is not resolved, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

Information Regulator Contact Details:

Our services are intended for matriculants and prospective university students. If we process the personal information of a child (under 18 years of age), we will obtain the consent of a competent person (e.g., a parent or legal guardian) where required by POPIA.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The "Effective Date" at the top of this policy indicates when it was last revised. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, our data practices, or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us: