Maestro Business Advantage ("Maestro", "we") is the Responsible Party for the personal information we collect through https://maestrobusinessadvantage.co.za. This policy explains what we collect, why, how we protect it, and the rights you have under the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA).
1. Information we collect
You give us directly
- Account: name, email, phone, password (hashed).
- Membership: business name, VAT/tax number, billing address, plan.
- Business listing: logo, description, services, category, city/province, contact details, hours, photos, map link.
- Verification: CIPC, tax clearance, B-BBEE certificate and insurance documents you upload for review.
- Leads & quotes: requirements you post, quote requests you submit, and messages exchanged.
- Reviews: ratings and comments you leave on a business.
- Support: emails, calls and messages you send us.
Collected automatically
- Usage: pages visited, referrer, device/browser type, IP address, session identifiers.
- Cookies & local storage: essential cookies for authentication and preferences.
From third parties
- PayFast: payment confirmations (we do not store your card details).
- Supabase Auth: if you sign in with Google, we receive your name and email from Google.
2. Why we process it (lawful basis)
- Contract — to deliver your membership, listing, consultations, leads and quotes.
- Legitimate interest — to secure the platform, prevent fraud, and improve the Services.
- Legal obligation — tax, accounting and record-keeping laws.
- Consent — for marketing emails and non-essential communications (you can opt out at any time).
3. Who we share it with
We only share personal information with parties that help us run the Services:
- PayFast (DPO Payment Solutions) — payment processing.
- Supabase — database, authentication and file storage.
- Email delivery provider — transactional and account emails.
- Professional advisers — the specialists who deliver your consultations, bound by confidentiality.
- Law enforcement / regulators — where legally required.
When you submit a quote request or post a lead, the relevant business receives the contact details and requirements you chose to share. When you leave a review, your display name and rating are shown publicly.
4. International transfers
Some processors (e.g. Supabase, email delivery) may store data outside South Africa. We only use providers who offer protections that are substantially similar to POPIA (section 72), typically through their standard data processing agreements.
5. How long we keep it
- Account & membership records — for the life of the account plus 5 years (tax law).
- Verification documents — while the badge is active, plus 12 months.
- Lead posts & quote requests — 24 months from submission.
- Reviews — kept as long as the business is listed unless removed for policy breach.
- Website analytics — 14 months.
6. Security
We use appropriate technical and organisational safeguards: encryption in transit (HTTPS), password hashing, row-level security on the database, role-based access, and audit logs. No system is perfectly secure — please choose a strong password and keep it private.
7. Your rights under POPIA
You have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you.
- Correct or update inaccurate information (most is editable from your dashboard).
- Delete your account and associated personal information, subject to legal retention.
- Object to direct marketing at any time.
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
- Complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa) — inforegulator.org.za.
To exercise any of these rights, email info@maestroassist.co.za. We respond within 30 days. You can also use our POPIA data subject request form.
8. Children
The Services are intended for business users aged 18 or older. We do not knowingly collect information from children.
9. Cookies
We use essential cookies and local storage to keep you signed in, remember preferences and secure the site. We do not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.
10. Changes to this policy
We'll post material changes on this page and email active members at least 14 days before they take effect.
11. Information Officer
Our Information Officer can be reached at info@maestroassist.co.za, 015 023 2924, Johannesburg, South Africa.