THE PROTECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION ACT CUSTOMER PRIVACY NOTICE

This Notice explains how we obtain, use and disclose your personal information, in accordance with the requirements of the Protection of Personal Information Act (“POPIA”). Macgregor Erasmus Incorporated is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is collected and used properly, lawfully and transparently.

About the Company

Macgregor Erasmus Attorneys (herein after referred to as “the Firm”) is a law firm specialising in the following areas:

1. Employment Law
2. Internal Disciplinary Enquiry Services
3. Training on Effective Discipline within the Workplace and POPIA
4. Workplace Compliance, Due Diligence and Verification Exercises
5. Occupational Health and Safety
6. Forensic Legal Services
7. Litigation in Africa
8. Commercial, Corporate and General Litigation
9. Banking Law
10. Insurance Law
11. Correspondent Practice
12. Matrimonial, Divorce and Family Law

The information we collect

The Firm collects your personal information mainly to contact you for the purposes of understanding your requirements, and delivering services accordingly. For this purpose, the Firm will collect your name, organisation and contact details.

The Firm will collect information directly from you when you provide us with your personal details. Where possible, the Firm will inform you of what information you are required to provide to us with and what information is optional.

Website usage information may be collected using “cookies”, which allows us to collect standard internet visitor usage information.

How we use your information

The Firm will use your personal information only for the purposes for which it is collected and agreed with you. In addition, where necessary your information may be retained for legal or research purposes.

For example:

• To gather contact information;
• To confirm and verify your identity or to verify that you are an authorised user for security purposes;
• For the detection and prevention of fraud, crime, money laundering or other malpractice;
• To conduct market or customer satisfaction research or for statistical analysis;
• For audit and record keeping purposes;
• In connection with legal proceedings.

Disclosure of information

The Firm may disclose your personal information to our service providers who are involved in the delivery of products or services to you. The Firm has agreements in place to ensure compliance with the privacy requirements as required by the Protection of Personal Information Act.

The Firm may also disclose your information:

• where there is a duty or a right to disclosure in terms of law or industry codes;
• where the Firm believes it is necessary to protect its rights.

Information Security

The Firm is legally obliged to provide adequate protection for the personal information held and to stop unauthorised access and use of personal information. The Firm will, on an ongoing basis, continue to review our security controls and related processes, to ensure that your personal information remains secure.

Our security policies and procedures cover:

• Physical security;
• Computer and network security;
• Access to personal information;
• Secure communications;
• Security in contracting out activities or functions;
• Retention and disposal of information;
• Acceptable usage of personal information;
• Governance and regulatory issues;
• Monitoring access and usage of private information;
• Investigating and reacting to security incidents.

When contracting with third parties, the Firm imposes appropriate security, privacy and confidentiality obligations on such third parties, to ensure that personal information that we are responsible for, is kept secure.

The Firm will ensure that anyone we pass your personal information to, agrees to treat your information with the same level of protection as we are obliged to.

Your Rights: Access to information

You have the right to request a copy of your personal information held by the Firm. To do this, simply contact us at the numbers / addresses as provided on our website and specify what information you require.  The Firm will need a copy of your ID document to confirm your identity, before providing details of your personal information. Please note that any such access request may be subject to a payment of a legally allowable fee.

     

Correction of your information

You have the right to ask us to update, correct or delete your personal information. The Firm will require a copy of your ID document to confirm your identity before making changes to personal information we may hold about you and would appreciate it if you would keep your personal information accurate.

 

Definition of personal information

According to the Act, ‘‘personal information’’ means information relating to an identifiable, living, natural person, and where it is applicable, an identifiable, existing juristic person.  In terms of the Act, the Firm also regards the following as personal information:

• All addresses, including residential, postal and email addresses.
• Change of name – for which we require copies of your marriage certificate or official change of name document issued by the state department.

How to contact us

If you have any queries about this notice; or need further information about our privacy practices; wish to withdraw consent; exercise preferences or access or correct your personal information, please contact our POPIA Compliance Officer us at the following:

Email: adam@meattorneys.co.za
Tel: 031 201 8955
Address: The Bond Shed
12 Browns Road
Point
Durban