1. Introduction
GANS South Africa (“GANS”, “we”, “us” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to handling personal information responsibly, securely and transparently.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and share personal information when you visit our website, contact us, request information or quotations, submit product requirements, apply for employment, or otherwise interact with us.
We process personal information in accordance with South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”) and other applicable laws.
2. Personal information we may collect
Depending on how you interact with GANS, we may collect:
- Your name, job title and organisation.
- Your email address, telephone number and business address.
- Enquiry, quotation and contact-form details.
- Product specifications, purchasing volumes, delivery requirements and other information connected with a commercial enquiry.
- Correspondence and records of our communications with you.
- Supplier, service-provider and business-partner information.
- Recruitment information, such as your curriculum vitae, qualifications and employment history, if you apply for a position.
- Technical website information, including your IP address, browser, device, referring page and website activity.
- Any other information you voluntarily provide to us.
Please do not provide special or sensitive personal information unless it is necessary for a specific purpose and we have requested it.
3. How we collect personal information
We may collect personal information:
- Directly from you when you complete a form, request a call, send an email, request a quotation or communicate with us.
- During discussions relating to product sourcing, purchasing, supply, logistics or another business relationship.
- Automatically when you use our website, through cookies, server logs and similar technologies.
- From your employer or an authorised representative.
- From suppliers, logistics providers and other parties involved in fulfilling a legitimate business requirement.
- From publicly available business directories, professional platforms and other lawful sources.
4. How we use personal information
We may use your personal information to:
- Respond to enquiries and requests for information.
- Understand product specifications, quantities, applications and delivery requirements.
- Prepare quotations and coordinate orders, sourcing, documentation and logistics.
- Communicate with customers, suppliers and commercial partners.
- Manage contracts and business relationships.
- Evaluate suppliers, service providers and product options.
- Maintain business and transaction records.
- Process employment applications.
- Operate, secure and improve our website.
- Send relevant business communications where permitted by law.
- Meet our legal, regulatory, tax and reporting obligations.
- Protect our rights, property, systems and legitimate business interests.
We will only process personal information for a lawful and reasonable purpose and will not use it in a way that is incompatible with the purpose for which it was collected.
5. Direct marketing
We may send you information about GANS products, services or industry developments where you have consented to receive it or where another lawful basis permits us to do so.
You may unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe option included in an electronic communication or by contacting us at info@ganssa.com. We will not charge you for exercising your right to opt out.
6. Cookies and website information
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to support essential website functions, remember preferences, understand website performance and improve the visitor experience.
Some cookies may be placed by service providers that support website hosting, security or analytics. Where required, we will request your permission before placing non-essential cookies.
You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect how parts of the website operate.
7. When we share personal information
We may share personal information with:
- GANS employees and authorised representatives who require it for their work.
- Suppliers, manufacturers and sourcing partners where necessary to address a product enquiry.
- Transport, warehousing, freight-forwarding, customs and logistics providers.
- Website hosting, information technology, communications and administrative service providers.
- Banks, payment-service providers, auditors, accountants, insurers, lawyers and other professional advisers.
- Government departments, regulators, law-enforcement bodies or courts where disclosure is legally required.
- A purchaser, investor or successor should GANS undergo a legitimate business reorganisation or transfer.
Service providers receiving personal information are expected to protect it, maintain confidentiality and use it only for the agreed purpose.
GANS does not sell or rent personal information to third parties.
8. International transfers
As an international sourcing and trading business, GANS may need to communicate with suppliers, service providers or logistics partners located outside South Africa.
Where personal information is transferred internationally, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the recipient is subject to an appropriate law, agreement or other safeguard that provides an adequate level of protection, as required by POPIA.
We will only transfer information that is reasonably necessary for the relevant business purpose.
9. Information security
GANS uses reasonable technical and organisational safeguards to protect personal information against loss, unauthorised access, misuse, alteration, disclosure or destruction.
These safeguards may include access controls, password protection, secure systems, staff responsibilities and appropriate arrangements with service providers.
Although we take reasonable precautions, no website, email service or electronic transmission method can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
We will only transfer information that is reasonably necessary for the relevant business purpose.
10. Retention of information
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, maintain appropriate business records, resolve disputes, enforce agreements or comply with legal and regulatory obligations.
When information is no longer required, we will securely delete, destroy or de-identify it, subject to applicable law.
11. Your rights
Subject to POPIA and any applicable limitations, you may:
- Ask whether we hold personal information about you.
- Request access to your personal information.
- Ask us to correct or update inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Request deletion or destruction of information that we are no longer authorised to retain.
- Object to certain processing of your personal information.
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
- Opt out of direct marketing.
- Lodge a complaint concerning our handling of your information.
We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request. Certain records may need to be retained where required by law or for another legitimate purpose.
12. Third-party websites
Our website may contain links to websites, articles or services operated by third parties. GANS does not control these external websites and is not responsible for their privacy practices, security or content.
We recommend reviewing the privacy policy of any external website before submitting personal information.
13. Children’s information
The GANS website and services are intended for businesses and adult users. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children without the appropriate consent or another lawful basis.
If you believe that a child’s personal information has been submitted to us improperly, please contact us so that we can investigate and take appropriate action.
14. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our business, website, technology or legal obligations.
The current version will be published on this page with its effective date. We encourage you to review the policy periodically.
15. Contacting GANS
For questions, privacy requests, objections or complaints relating to this policy or your personal information, please contact:
GANS South Africa
1 Bridgeway Road
Century City
Cape Town
Western Cape
South Africa
7441
Email: info@ganssa.com
Please use “Privacy Request” as the subject of your email and provide enough information for us to identify and address your request.
16. Complaints to the Information Regulator
We encourage you to contact GANS first so that we can investigate and attempt to resolve your concern.
If you believe that your personal information has been processed in violation of POPIA, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa. Current complaint instructions and the online submission process are available on the Regulator’s official complaints page.
Information Regulator enquiries: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za
POPIA complaints: POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za
