Privacy Policy

How Model Cars for Africa collects, uses, stores and protects personal information under POPIA.

LEGAL INFORMATION

Last updated: 29 July 2026

This policy applies when you browse the website, create an account, make an enquiry or place an order.

1. Purpose of this policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Model Cars for Africa collects, uses, stores and shares personal information when you visit www.modelcarsforafrica.co.za, create an account, contact us, sell or offer models to us, or place an order.

We process personal information in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013, known as POPIA, and other applicable South African laws.

2. Responsible party

Item Detail
Trading nameModel Cars for Africa
Responsible partyDirk Jacobs, trading as Model Cars for Africa
Legal statusOwner
Registration numberNot applicable
Websitewww.modelcarsforafrica.co.za
Physical address30 Sonskyn Road, Sunward Park, Boksburg, 1460
General emailsales@modelcarsforafrica.co.za
Information OfficerDirk Jacobs
Information Officer contact+27 74 821 9759 | sales@modelcarsforafrica.co.za

3. Personal information we collect

  • Identity and contact details: Name, surname, email address, telephone number and delivery or billing address.
  • Account details: Username, encrypted password, saved addresses and account preferences.
  • Order details: Products, colour variations, prices, order history, invoices, delivery status, returns and refund information.
  • Payment information: Payment status, payment reference, selected payment method and limited transaction information supplied by the payment provider. We do not store complete card details or online-banking passwords.
  • Enquiry and selling information: Messages, photographs, model descriptions, condition details and other information you send when asking about products or offering models or collections for sale.
  • Technical information: Internet Protocol address, browser, device type, cookie identifiers, website activity, security logs and approximate location derived from technical data.
  • Marketing preferences: Newsletter consent, opt-out records and communication preferences.
  • Public interaction information: Reviews, comments or social-media messages that you choose to make public or send to our accounts.

4. How we collect information

  • Directly from you when you order, register, complete a form, phone, email, use WhatsApp, request support or offer models for sale.
  • Automatically through essential cookies, server logs and website security tools.
  • From PayFast, banks or payment providers when they confirm a transaction or refund.
  • From courier and delivery providers when they update a delivery.
  • From analytics, advertising or social platforms where those tools are enabled and you have made the required choice.

5. Why we use personal information

  • Create and manage customer accounts.
  • Process payments, orders, deliveries, collections, returns and refunds.
  • Answer product, order and selling enquiries.
  • Assess models or collections offered for sale.
  • Send service messages such as order confirmations and delivery updates.
  • Prevent fraud, abuse, unauthorised access and payment risk.
  • Maintain invoices, transaction records and other records required by law.
  • Manage complaints and enforce or defend legal rights.
  • Improve the website, catalogue, search, filters and customer experience.
  • Send direct marketing only where POPIA and other applicable law allow it.

6. When information is required

Some information is required to create an account, process payment, deliver an order, issue an invoice, prevent fraud or comply with law. If you do not provide required information, we may be unable to complete the order or respond fully.

Information used only for optional marketing, saved preferences or non-essential cookies is voluntary.

7. Grounds for processing

Depending on the situation, we process personal information with consent, to take steps requested by you, to perform an order or agreement, to meet a legal duty, to protect a legitimate interest, or to pursue our legitimate business interests in a way that respects your rights.

Where consent is the basis for processing, you may withdraw it. Withdrawal does not affect processing that was lawful before the withdrawal or processing supported by another lawful ground.

8. Who receives personal information

We share only the information reasonably required for the stated purpose. Recipients may include:

  • PayFast, banks and payment providers for payment, fraud checks and refunds.
  • Courier and delivery providers for order fulfilment, including The Courier Guy, PostNet and PUDO where selected.
  • Website hosting, maintenance, email, backup, security and support providers.
  • Analytics, advertising or social platforms where these tools are enabled.
  • Accountants, insurers, auditors, legal advisers and other professional advisers.
  • Regulators, law-enforcement bodies, courts or other authorised bodies where disclosure is required or lawfully permitted.
  • A buyer or successor if the business or relevant assets are sold, subject to suitable confidentiality and data-protection duties.

We do not sell customer personal information as a standalone product.

9. Payments

PayFast by Network processes online payments through its systems. PayFast may collect and process cardholder, customer and transaction information under its own privacy policy.

Model Cars for Africa receives payment confirmation, references and limited transaction details needed to manage the order. We do not receive or store complete card numbers, card security codes or online-banking passwords.

10. Cookies and similar technology

Cookies are small files or identifiers used by websites. We may use the following categories:

  • Essential cookies: Required for the cart, checkout, account login, security and core website functions.
  • Preference cookies: Remember choices such as account or display preferences.
  • Analytics cookies: Help us understand website use and improve pages where these tools are enabled.
  • Advertising cookies: Measure or personalise advertising where these tools are enabled and the required consent has been obtained.

You can manage non-essential cookies through the website consent tool, where available, and your browser settings. Blocking essential cookies may prevent the cart, checkout or account from working correctly.

11. Direct marketing

We send marketing by email, SMS or another electronic channel only where permitted by POPIA. This may be based on your consent or, for an existing customer, limited marketing of our own similar products where the legal requirements are met.

Marketing consent will be separate from checkout acceptance and will not be preselected. Every marketing message will identify the sender and provide a simple way to opt out. You may also opt out by emailing sales@modelcarsforafrica.co.za.

Service messages about an order, payment, account, delivery, return or security issue are not marketing messages.

12. Cross-border processing

Some hosting, email, analytics, support or payment providers may process information outside South Africa.

Where personal information is transferred outside South Africa, we will use a lawful basis under section 72 of POPIA. This may include adequate legal protection, a binding agreement, consent or another basis allowed by law.

13. Retention

We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably needed for the purpose for which it was collected, to meet legal or tax duties, to resolve disputes, to prevent fraud, or to establish, exercise or defend legal rights.

  • Order, invoice and payment records: Kept for the period required by applicable law and accounting rules.
  • Customer accounts: Kept while active and for a reasonable period after closure where records remain necessary.
  • Product, support and selling enquiries: Kept only for as long as reasonably needed to answer the enquiry, manage follow-up and protect legal rights.
  • Submitted model photographs: Kept only for as long as reasonably needed to assess or manage the selling enquiry.
  • Marketing records: Kept while consent remains valid or as needed to honour an opt-out.
  • Security logs and backups: Kept for a limited period based on security and recovery needs.

When information is no longer authorised or required, we will delete, destroy or de-identify it as soon as reasonably practicable, subject to lawful retention duties.

14. Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information against loss, unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure or destruction. Measures may include encrypted website connections, access controls, software updates, backups, security monitoring and restricted administrator access.

No internet service can promise absolute security. You should use a strong, unique password and tell us promptly if you believe an account or order has been accessed without authority.

15. Your POPIA rights

Subject to POPIA and other applicable law, you may:

  • Ask whether we hold personal information about you.
  • Request access to personal information we hold about you.
  • Ask us to correct or update inaccurate, incomplete, misleading or outdated information.
  • Ask us to delete or destroy information that we are no longer authorised to keep.
  • Object to certain processing on reasonable grounds.
  • Withdraw consent where processing depends on consent.
  • Opt out of direct marketing at any time.
  • Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.

Send a request to sales@modelcarsforafrica.co.za. We may ask for suitable proof of identity before releasing or changing personal information. A request may be limited or refused only where the law allows.

16. Children

The online store is intended for people who can lawfully enter into a purchase agreement. A person under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian place or approve an order.

We do not knowingly process a child’s personal information without the consent of a competent person or another lawful basis under POPIA. A parent or guardian may contact the Information Officer if a child has submitted personal information without proper authority.

17. WhatsApp, social media and external websites

If you contact us through WhatsApp or a social platform, that provider also processes information under its own terms and privacy policy. Avoid sending complete payment-card details or online-banking passwords through messages.

Our website may link to third-party websites such as BobShop, Model Mania 64, PayFast, Facebook or Instagram. Their privacy practices are separate from ours.

18. Security compromises

If we have reasonable grounds to believe that an unauthorised person has accessed or acquired personal information, we will notify the Information Regulator and affected data subjects as required by POPIA, subject to any lawful delay directed by the authorities.

19. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when the website, service providers, business practices or legal duties change. The current version and effective date will appear on this page.

20. Contact us about privacy

Information Officer: Dirk Jacobs

Email: sales@modelcarsforafrica.co.za

Telephone: +27 74 821 9759

Address: 30 Sonskyn Road, Sunward Park, Boksburg, 1460

21. Information Regulator

You may lodge a POPIA complaint with the Information Regulator if you believe your personal information has been processed unlawfully.

Complaints email: POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za

General enquiries: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za

Toll-free telephone: 0800 017 160

Information Regulator contact page