POPIA
Privacy Policy
Last updated: 30 September 2026
ElecTech respects your privacy and is committed to protecting personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 ("POPIA").
This Privacy Policy explains how personal information is collected, used, stored, shared, and protected when schools, organisations, administrators, candidates, voters, parents, staff members, learners, and other users use the ElecTech platform and website.
1. Who we are
ElecTech provides an online election platform that allows schools and other organisations to create and manage elections, nominations, candidates, voters' rolls, voting access, participation records, and election results.
Privacy and POPIA-related requests can be sent to larize@electech.co.za.
2. Our role when processing personal information
The role ElecTech plays under POPIA depends on why the information is being processed.
Election information
For elections administered by a school or other organisation, the school or organisation will generally be the Responsible Party because it determines why the personal information is processed and how the election is conducted.
ElecTech generally acts as an Operator and processes this information on behalf of, and according to the instructions of, the school or organisation.
The school or organisation is responsible for ensuring that it has a lawful basis to collect the information and provide it to ElecTech.
ElecTech's own activities
ElecTech may act as the Responsible Party for information that it processes for its own purposes, including:
- customer and account administration;
- billing;
- sales and demo enquiries;
- customer support;
- platform security;
- system administration; and
- communications about ElecTech.
3. Information we may collect
Depending on how ElecTech is used, we may process:
- names and surnames;
- email addresses;
- mobile numbers;
- learner, parent, staff, or voter identifiers;
- grade, class, constituency, or voter group information;
- voters' roll information;
- nomination information;
- candidate names, photographs, statements, and profile information;
- election eligibility information;
- records showing whether a voter participated in an election;
- election administration and audit records;
- communication delivery information;
- IP addresses, browser information, timestamps, and security logs;
- school and administrator account information; and
- information submitted through our website, including demo and support requests.
We only process information that is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.
4. Where we get personal information
Personal information may be provided:
- directly by you;
- by your school or organisation;
- by an authorised school administrator;
- by a parent, nominator, seconder, candidate, or other authorised participant;
- through an applicable voters' roll;
- automatically when you use the ElecTech website or platform; or
- by a service provider used to deliver or secure the ElecTech service.
Where a school or organisation supplies information to ElecTech, it remains responsible for ensuring that the information was collected lawfully.
5. Mandatory and voluntary information
Some personal information is required for ElecTech to provide a particular service.
For example, information used to confirm voter eligibility or issue voting access may be required before a person can participate in an election.
Other information, such as optional candidate profile information or information submitted through a website enquiry, may be voluntary.
If required information is not provided, ElecTech or the relevant school may be unable to provide the applicable election function or service.
6. How we use personal information
Personal information may be used to:
- create and administer elections;
- establish or verify voter eligibility;
- maintain voters' rolls;
- organise voters into groups or constituencies;
- manage nominations;
- manage candidate profiles;
- issue single-use voting credentials;
- send election communications by email, SMS, WhatsApp, or other approved channels;
- prevent duplicate or unauthorised voting;
- record election participation;
- maintain administrative and election audit trails;
- monitor election turnout;
- generate election results and reports;
- provide technical and customer support;
- secure, monitor, and maintain the platform;
- investigate suspected misuse or security incidents;
- administer customer accounts and subscriptions;
- respond to enquiries and demo requests;
- comply with contractual and legal obligations; and
- exercise or protect legitimate legal rights.
ElecTech will not use information for a purpose that is incompatible with the purpose for which it was collected unless permitted by law.
7. Lawful processing
Depending on the circumstances, personal information may be processed because:
- the data subject has consented;
- processing is necessary to perform a contract or take steps relating to a contract;
- processing is required to comply with a legal obligation;
- processing is necessary to protect a legitimate interest of the data subject;
- processing is necessary for a lawful function of the school or organisation; or
- processing is necessary to pursue a legitimate interest of ElecTech, the school, or another person, where permitted by POPIA.
Where ElecTech acts as an Operator, the relevant school or organisation is responsible for establishing the appropriate lawful basis for processing.
8. Secret ballots and voting information
ElecTech is designed to protect the secrecy of the ballot.
ElecTech may record that an eligible voter:
- received voting access;
- accessed an election; or
- participated in an election.
This information may be used to prevent duplicate voting and provide an election audit trail.
A voter's identity is kept separate from the candidates or options selected on the ballot.
Authorised administrators may therefore determine whether an eligible voter participated, but they cannot use ElecTech to determine how that individual voted.
9. Children's personal information
ElecTech is designed primarily for schools and may therefore process personal information relating to children.
This can include:
- learner names;
- learner identifiers;
- grades or classes;
- election eligibility;
- candidate photographs;
- candidate statements;
- nomination information; and
- election participation information.
Where a school provides children's personal information to ElecTech, ElecTech processes that information on the school's instructions.
The school or organisation is responsible for ensuring that the processing of children's personal information is permitted under POPIA and that any required consent, authorisation, or other lawful basis has been obtained.
ElecTech does not use children's personal information for unrelated advertising or direct marketing.
We also do not intentionally request more information from a child than is reasonably necessary for the relevant election purpose.
10. Candidate profiles and nominations
Certain elections may include candidate profiles containing information such as a candidate's:
- name;
- photograph;
- grade or constituency;
- candidate statement; and
- answers to election-related questions.
This information may be shown to eligible voters participating in the applicable election.
Nomination information may also be processed where an election includes an electronic nomination process.
Candidate and nomination information will only be used for administering the relevant election and related records unless another lawful purpose applies.
12. International processing and transfers
Some technology providers used by ElecTech may operate infrastructure or process information outside South Africa.
Where personal information is transferred outside South Africa, ElecTech will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer complies with POPIA and that appropriate protections apply to the information.
This may include using service providers that are subject to appropriate privacy protections or contractual safeguards.
13. Information security
ElecTech takes reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against:
- loss;
- unauthorised access;
- unauthorised disclosure;
- alteration;
- misuse; and
- destruction.
Depending on the relevant service, these safeguards include:
- controlled administrative access;
- separation of each school's data;
- single-use voter access credentials;
- separation of voter participation records from ballot selections;
- audit records of administrative activity;
- security monitoring;
- rate limiting and other controls designed to prevent misuse; and
- access restrictions based on authorised user roles.
No electronic system can guarantee absolute security, but ElecTech regularly reviews the measures used to protect the platform and personal information.
14. Retention of information
ElecTech does not keep personal information indefinitely.
Where ElecTech acts as an Operator, election information is retained according to:
- the instructions of the relevant school or organisation;
- the school's agreed retention requirements;
- ElecTech's contractual obligations; and
- any applicable legal or regulatory requirements.
Other information may be retained for as long as reasonably necessary for:
- providing the ElecTech service;
- maintaining appropriate election and audit records;
- providing support;
- administering customer relationships;
- resolving disputes;
- preventing fraud or misuse; and
- complying with legal obligations.
When personal information is no longer required, it will be deleted, destroyed, or de-identified where reasonably practical and permitted by law.
Specific retention periods may also be agreed with a school or organisation as part of its use of ElecTech.
15. Direct marketing
ElecTech may contact prospective or existing customers regarding its services where permitted by law.
This may include communication following:
- a demo request;
- an enquiry;
- an existing customer relationship; or
- consent to receive marketing communications.
Electronic direct marketing will only be sent where permitted by POPIA.
Recipients can opt out of marketing communications at any time using the unsubscribe mechanism provided or by contacting support@electech.co.za.
Election-related messages sent on behalf of a school are operational communications and are not ElecTech marketing messages.
17. Your rights
Subject to POPIA and other applicable laws, you may have the right to:
- ask whether personal information about you is being processed;
- request access to your personal information;
- request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
- request deletion or destruction of information where permitted;
- object to certain processing;
- withdraw consent where processing is based on consent; and
- lodge a complaint regarding the processing of your information.
Requests may be sent to larize@electech.co.za.
Where ElecTech processes information on behalf of a school or organisation, we may refer the request to that organisation because it is the Responsible Party responsible for deciding how the request must be handled.
18. Security incidents and data breaches
If ElecTech becomes aware of a security compromise involving personal information, we will investigate and take reasonable steps to contain and address the incident.
Where ElecTech acts as an Operator, we will notify the relevant Responsible Party where required.
The Responsible Party and ElecTech will make any notifications to affected persons and the Information Regulator that are required by POPIA.
19. Complaints
If you believe your personal information has been processed unlawfully, please contact us so that the matter can be investigated.
ElecTech
Email: larize@electech.co.za
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.
Current contact details and complaint procedures are available from the Information Regulator's official website.
20. Changes to this policy
ElecTech may update this Privacy Policy when:
- the ElecTech platform changes;
- our information-processing activities change;
- our service providers change materially; or
- applicable laws or regulatory requirements change.
The latest version will be published on electech.co.za and will show the date on which it was last updated.