Citadel

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how we protect and use your Personal Information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and other applicable South African laws.

We are committed to ensuring compliance with all applicable laws, including POPIA, and to upholding the privacy rights of all persons whose Personal Information we process.

2. Definitions

Personal Information means information relating to an identifiable, living, natural person, and (where applicable) an identifiable, existing juristic person, including name, identity number, email address, physical address, telephone number, and location information.
Processing means any activity that involves the use of Personal Information, including collection, storage, modification, retrieval, use, dissemination, or destruction.
Data Subject means the person to whom Personal Information relates.
Special Personal Information means Personal Information concerning religious beliefs, race, ethnic origin, health, or biometric information.

3. Scope

This Policy applies to all individuals whose Personal Information we process, including:

Students seeking accommodation
Landlords and accommodation providers
Accreditors and inspectors
Institution representatives
Third parties with whom we engage

4. Types of Personal Information Collected

We collect the following types of Personal Information:

Identity data: Name, surname, identity number
Contact data: Address, email address, phone number
Financial data: Bank account details for payment processing
Education data: Student number, institution, campus
Property data: Property addresses, room information, pricing
Technical data: IP address, browser type, device information

5. Purpose of Processing Personal Information

We process Personal Information for the following purposes:

Facilitating student accommodation bookings
Verifying identity and eligibility
Processing payments and financial transactions
Managing property accreditation and inspections
Communicating important information via email and SMS
Complying with legal and regulatory requirements
Detecting and preventing fraud
Improving our services

6. Disclosure of Personal Information

We will not disclose Personal Information to third parties except:

To NSFAS for funding verification and payment processing
To institutions for student verification
To landlords for accommodation booking purposes
To service providers who process information on our behalf
Where required by law or legal process

7. Retention of Personal Information

We retain Personal Information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, and as required by applicable laws. Financial records are retained for the periods prescribed by tax and financial legislation.

8. Your Rights

Under POPIA, you have the right to:

Request confirmation of whether we hold your Personal Information
Request access to your Personal Information
Request correction of inaccurate Personal Information
Request deletion of your Personal Information (subject to legal requirements)
Object to the processing of your Personal Information
Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator

9. Security

We take reasonable technical, administrative, and physical steps to protect Personal Information against unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure. This includes:

Encryption of data in transit (SSL/TLS)
Secure password storage using industry-standard hashing
Access controls limiting who can view Personal Information
Regular security assessments

10. Cookies

We use cookies to improve your experience on our platform. Cookies help us remember your preferences and understand how you use our services. You can control cookie settings through your browser.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be published on this page. By continuing to use our platform after changes are published, you accept the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us at:

Email: info@nsfas.org.za
Phone: 0800 067 327

13. Information Regulator

If you are dissatisfied with how we have handled your complaint, you may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator:

Email: complaints.IR@justice.gov.za
Address: JD House, 27 Stiemens Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg