Privacy Policy
Last updated: 25 September 2026
1. Introduction
Hot Pepper Hub ("we", "us", or "our") is operated by [Company Name], a company registered in the Republic of South Africa. Our platform — accessible at hotpepperhub.com — is South Africa's dedicated directory for chilli festivals, vendors, and markets.
This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and the rights you hold over your data. It applies to all users of the Hot Pepper Hub website and any related services.
We are committed to full compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and, where applicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We collect only what we need, use it only as described here, and never sell it.
2. Information We Collect
Information you provide directly
- Account registration: name, email address, and a hashed password. We never store your password in plain text.
- Event and vendor submissions: business name, description, contact email, phone number, physical address, social media links, and any images you upload.
- Reviews and comments: the text you write and the account it is attributed to.
- Payment information: subscription payments are processed by third-party payment gateways (PayFast / PeachPayments). We receive a transaction reference and status confirmation only. We do not store card numbers, CVV codes, or bank account details.
- Newsletter subscriptions: your email address and the date you subscribed. You may unsubscribe at any time via the link in every email.
Information collected automatically
When you visit Hot Pepper Hub, our servers and analytics tools automatically log:
IP address
Used for rate-limiting, fraud prevention, and approximate location.
Browser & device
Browser type, operating system, and screen resolution for compatibility.
Pages visited
Which pages, events, and vendor profiles you view and for how long.
Referral source
The URL that brought you to our site (e.g. a Google search or social link).
Cookies & local storage
See the Cookies section below for full details.
Search queries
Terms you enter in our on-site search to help us improve results.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use personal information only for the purposes listed below. Where POPIA requires a lawful basis, we have indicated it in brackets.
Provide and operate the service
Display your listings, manage your account, and deliver the features you use. [Contract performance]
Process subscriptions and payments
Initiate payment requests, verify payment status via ITN callbacks, and activate paid features. [Contract performance]
Send transactional emails
Account verification, password resets, submission confirmations, and payment receipts. [Contract performance]
Send marketing emails (newsletter)
Weekly digest of events and content. Sent only to subscribers who have given explicit consent. You may unsubscribe at any time. [Consent]
Improve and develop the platform
Analyse aggregated usage patterns to improve search quality, page speed, and feature prioritisation. [Legitimate interest]
Comply with legal obligations
Retain tax records, respond to valid legal orders, and co-operate with South African authorities where required by law. [Legal obligation]
Prevent fraud and abuse
Detect spam submissions, fake listings, bot traffic, and misuse of the platform. [Legitimate interest]
6. Data Retention
| Data type | Retention period | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Account data | While account is active, then 2 years after deletion request | To honour pending requests and resolve disputes |
| Transaction records | 5 years from date of transaction | Tax compliance (SA Revenue Service requirements) |
| Event / vendor submissions | While listed, then 12 months after removal | To handle appeals and dispute resolution |
| Server logs (IP, access) | 90 days | Security and fraud prevention |
| Analytics data | 12 months, then anonymised | Usage trend analysis without identifying individuals |
| Newsletter subscriptions | Until unsubscribe, then immediately purged | Consent-based processing only |
7. Your Rights (POPIA & GDPR)
Under POPIA (and GDPR where applicable), you have the following rights regarding your personal information. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@hotpepperhub.com. We will respond within 30 days.
Access
You may request a copy of all personal data we hold about you, free of charge.
Correction
You may ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
Deletion
You may request that we delete your personal data ("right to be forgotten"), subject to legal retention obligations.
Portability
You may request your data in a machine-readable format for transfer to another service provider.
Object to processing
You may object to processing based on legitimate interest. We will stop unless we have compelling grounds to continue.
Withdraw consent
Where we rely on consent (e.g. newsletter), you may withdraw at any time without affecting prior processing.
Lodge a complaint
If you believe we have handled your personal information unlawfully, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the South African Information Regulator at inforegulator.org.za or by email to inforeg@justice.gov.za.
8. Security
We take the security of your personal information seriously and have implemented the following measures:
- All data in transit is protected by SSL/TLS encryption (HTTPS enforced site-wide).
- Passwords are hashed using bcrypt — we never store them in plain text.
- Access to production systems and databases is restricted to authorised personnel only.
- We conduct regular security reviews and apply security patches promptly.
- An audit log records all administrative actions on the platform.
- Forms use CSRF tokens to prevent cross-site request forgery.
No system connected to the internet can be 100% secure. If you discover a security vulnerability, please disclose it responsibly to privacy@hotpepperhub.com.
9. Children
Hot Pepper Hub is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 13 without verifiable parental consent.
If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal data from a child under 13, we will delete that data promptly. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@hotpepperhub.com.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our practices, technology, or legal requirements. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the date of the most recent revision.
For material changes — those that significantly affect how we use your data or your rights — we will notify registered users by email at least 14 days before the changes take effect. Continued use of Hot Pepper Hub after the effective date constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.
11. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal information, please contact us:
Privacy enquiries
privacy@hotpepperhub.comFor data access requests, corrections, deletions, and general privacy questions.
Data Protection Officer
dpo@hotpepperhub.comFor escalated matters or POPIA-specific concerns. We aim to respond within 5 business days.
[Company Name] · Attn: Privacy Officer · [Street Address] · [City] · South Africa