Privacy policy

PRIVACY POLICY

The Cats Mao — Last updated: June 2025

The Cats Mao respects your privacy and is fully committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy is issued in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA), the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 (ECTA), and the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA).

By using this website and placing an order with us, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

1. Who We Are (Responsible Party)

The Cats Mao is an online retail store operating from Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, under the AOS Projects business banner.

Contact:
Email: thecatsmao.info@gmail.com

The Cats Mao is the Responsible Party as defined under POPIA, and is responsible for the lawful, reasonable, and transparent processing of your personal information.

2. What Personal Information We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal information:

  • Full name
  • Email address
  • Telephone number
  • Billing address
  • Delivery address
  • Order and transaction history
  • Device and browser information (collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies where applicable)
  • Payment information (processed securely by third-party payment providers — we do not store or have access to your full card details)

We only collect personal information that is adequate, relevant, and not excessive in relation to the purposes for which it is collected.

3. Why We Collect Your Information (Purpose of Processing)

Your personal information is collected and used solely for the following purposes:

  • Processing, fulfilling, and delivering your orders
  • Communicating with you about your orders and enquiries
  • Providing customer support
  • Preventing fraud, abuse, and unauthorised transactions
  • Complying with our legal obligations under South African law
  • Improving our products, services, and website where necessary

We will not process your personal information for any purpose other than those listed above without your prior consent, unless required to do so by law.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information on the following lawful grounds under POPIA:

  • To perform the contract of sale concluded with you when you place an order
  • To comply with a legal obligation to which we are subject
  • Where you have provided your consent
  • Where processing is necessary to pursue our legitimate business interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your right to privacy

5. Sharing of Personal Information

Your personal information will only be shared with third parties where necessary to operate our business and fulfil your orders. This includes:

  • Courier and delivery service providers (for order fulfilment)
  • Payment processing providers (for secure transaction processing)
  • Our website and e-commerce platform provider (Shopify)

All third parties with whom we share your information are contractually required to handle your data securely and in accordance with POPIA.

We will never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party for marketing or any other commercial purpose.

We may disclose your personal information where required to do so by law, court order, or lawful instruction from a regulatory authority.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience. In accordance with POPIA and ECTA, we will notify you of the use of cookies on our website and obtain your consent where required.

You may adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies, however this may affect the functionality of certain parts of our website.

7. Data Security

We implement reasonable and appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, disclosure, alteration, or destruction, in accordance with POPIA Section 19.

In the event of a data breach that is likely to affect you, we will notify the Information Regulator and, where required, notify you directly, as prescribed by POPIA.

8. Retention of Personal Information

We retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by applicable law. Once no longer needed, your information will be securely destroyed or de-identified.

9. Your Rights as a Data Subject

Under POPIA, you have the following rights in relation to your personal information:

  • The right to be informed about how your information is being processed
  • The right to access the personal information we hold about you
  • The right to request correction of inaccurate, irrelevant, or outdated information
  • The right to request deletion or destruction of your information, subject to our legal obligations
  • The right to object to the processing of your personal information
  • The right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at thecatsmao.info@gmail.com. We will respond within a reasonable time, and no later than 30 days of receiving your request.

10. Complaints to the Information Regulator

If you are dissatisfied with how we have handled your personal information, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa:

Website: www.justice.gov.za/inforeg
Email: inforeg@justice.gov.za

11. Direct Marketing

In accordance with Section 69 of POPIA and Section 45 of ECTA, we will not send you unsolicited electronic marketing communications (including emails or SMS messages) without your prior express consent. Where you have consented to receiving marketing communications from us, you may opt out at any time by contacting us at thecatsmao.info@gmail.com or by using the unsubscribe option included in any such communication.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. The updated policy will be published on this website with a revised effective date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.