Legal
Portalis Privacy Policy
Effective Date: 19 May 2026
At Portalis, we respect your privacy. This policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, and how we protect it — in plain language, no legal jargon.
1. What Information We Collect
1.1 When You Use Free Tools (APS Calculator, Course Matching, Brochures)
| Information Collected | Do We Store It? |
|---|---|
| Your APS score inputs (subjects, percentages) | No — processed in real-time, not saved |
| Your course searches | No — anonymous |
| Your brochure downloads | No — anonymous |
You do not need an account. We do not track you across sessions.
1.2 When You Contact Us (Email or WhatsApp)
| Information Collected | Why We Collect It | How Long We Keep It |
|---|---|---|
| Your name (if provided) | To address you properly | Until your query is resolved |
| Your email address or phone number | To respond to you | Until your query is resolved |
| Your question or message | To provide assistance | Until your query is resolved |
We do not use your contact details for marketing unless you explicitly opt in.
1.3 When You Purchase Our Paid Application Service
| Information Collected | Why We Collect It | Legal Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | To fill out university application forms | Performance of contract |
| ID number | Required by universities for applications | Performance of contract |
| Email address | To send confirmation and updates | Performance of contract |
| Phone number | For WhatsApp follow-ups | Performance of contract |
| Matric results / subjects | To complete application forms | Performance of contract |
| Payment information | Processed by our payment gateway (we do not store card details) | Performance of contract |
We delete this information 6 months after the application cycle ends (or earlier if you request).
1.4 When You Post Anonymous Comments or Ratings
| Information Collected | Is It Linked to You? |
|---|---|
| Your comment text | No — displayed anonymously |
| Your rating (1-5 stars) | No — displayed without identity |
| Your IP address (for spam prevention) | No — stored temporarily, not linked to comment |
| Your email (if you choose to verify) | Yes — but never displayed publicly |
You are not required to provide your name or email to comment. Comments are posted anonymously by default.
1.5 Automated Information (Cookies & Analytics)
We use cookieless analytics (GoatCounter) to count visitors and see which pages are popular. GoatCounter:
- Does not use cookies
- Does not collect IP addresses
- Does not collect personal data
No consent banner is required. You cannot be identified.
2. How We Use Your Information
| Purpose | Legal Basis (POPIA) |
|---|---|
| To provide our free tools | Legitimate interest |
| To respond to your inquiries | Consent (implied by contacting us) |
| To process paid application services | Performance of contract |
| To display anonymous comments and ratings | Legitimate interest (user-generated content) |
| To improve our website (analytics) | Legitimate interest |
| To comply with legal obligations (e.g., court orders) | Legal obligation |
We do not sell your personal information to third parties for marketing.
3. Sharing Your Information
3.1 We Share With:
| Recipient | What We Share | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Universities (via your application) | Your name, ID, results, course choices | To submit your application (you consented) |
| Payment gateway (Yoco/PayFast/Stripe) | Payment amount, transaction ID | To process your payment |
| WhatsApp/Meta | Your phone number (if you message us) | To respond to you |
| Law enforcement | As required by court order | To comply with the law |
3.2 We Do NOT Share:
- Your anonymous comments with universities (unless required by court order)
- Your personal information with advertisers or affiliates
- Your data for marketing without explicit consent
3.3 Anonymised Aggregate Data
We may share anonymised aggregate statistics (e.g., "45% of users searched for Engineering courses") with:
- Universities (for planning)
- Government (for policy)
- Researchers (for studies)
This data cannot identify you.
4. Your Rights Under POPIA
You have the following rights regarding your personal information:
| Right | What It Means | How to Exercise |
|---|---|---|
| Right to access | You can request a copy of all data we hold about you | Email portalis.info@gmail.com |
| Right to correction | You can correct inaccurate information | Email with corrected details |
| Right to deletion | You can request that we delete your data | Email with request |
| Right to object | You can object to our processing (e.g., analytics) | Email or stop using the site |
| Right to withdraw consent | If you consented (e.g., email marketing), you can withdraw | Click "unsubscribe" or email us |
To exercise any right: Email portalis.info@gmail.com. We will respond within 14 days (as required by POPIA). Verification of identity may be required.
Deletion requests: If you used our paid service, we will delete your data 6 months after the application cycle ends (exceptions: legal hold, fraud investigation).
5. Data Security
We implement reasonable security measures:
| Measure | Description |
|---|---|
| HTTPS (SSL) | All data encrypted in transit |
| Access controls | Only authorised Portalis team members can access personal data |
| Email security | 2FA enabled on all accounts containing user data |
| Data minimisation | We collect only what we need |
| Regular backups | Encrypted backups stored securely |
However: No system is 100% secure. You use Portalis at your own risk. In the event of a data breach, we will notify the Information Regulator and affected users within 72 hours (as required by POPIA).
6. Data Retention
| Type of Data | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Free tool usage (APS calculations, searches) | Not stored |
| Contact form inquiries | Until resolved (max 6 months) |
| Paid application data (ID, results, etc.) | 6 months after application cycle ends |
| Anonymous comments | Indefinitely (or until you request anonymisation) |
| Payment transaction records | 5 years (tax/legal requirement) |
After the retention period, data is permanently deleted or anonymised.
7. Third-Party Links
Our website contains links to:
- University websites
- Affiliate partners (accommodation, loans, textbooks)
- Government sites
We are not responsible for their privacy practices. Read their privacy policies separately.
8. Children's Privacy
Our services are intended for matriculants and students (typically ages 17+).
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with data, contact us and we will delete it.
For users under 18 purchasing paid services, we assume you have parental consent.
9. International Data Transfers
All data is stored in South Africa (via Supabase or our hosting provider). We do not knowingly transfer your data outside South Africa.
If we use cloud services with servers outside SA (e.g., email), we ensure:
- Adequate protection (standard contractual clauses)
- Data is anonymised where possible
10. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy. If we make material changes:
- We will post the updated policy on this page
- For significant changes (e.g., new data collection), we may notify you via website banner or email (if you provided one)
Your continued use of Portalis after changes constitutes acceptance.
11. Complaints
If you believe we have violated POPIA or your privacy rights:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Contact us at portalis.info@gmail.com. We will attempt to resolve within 14 days. |
| 2 | If unsatisfied, lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator (South Africa). |
Information Regulator (South Africa)
- Website: inforegulator.org.za
- Email: POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za
- Address: JD House, 27 Stiemens Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2001
12. Contact Us
Portalis (Pty) Ltd
Email: portalis.info@gmail.com
By using Portalis, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.