Trustdrop Privacy Policy

Effective date: [EFFECTIVE DATE] · Version [VERSION, e.g. 1.0]

1. Who we are

Trustdrop is a marketplace app that connects sellers, buyers and couriers in South Africa. The buyer's payment is held by a licensed payment provider (not by Trustdrop) until the courier enters the buyer's delivery code. Trustdrop is operated by [OPERATING COMPANY NAME, CIPC NO.], [REGISTERED PHYSICAL ADDRESS]. Under the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) we are the "responsible party" for the personal information described here.

Information Officer: [INFORMATION OFFICER NAME], support@trustdrop.co.za [PLACEHOLDER – NOT YET ACTIVE], [INFORMATION OFFICER PHONE]. [CONFIRM WITH LAWYER #1]

2. What this policy covers

This policy covers the Trustdrop Android app, the website at trustdrop.co.za and the Trustdrop service (the API at api.trustdrop.co.za). It applies to everyone who uses Trustdrop: buyers, sellers, couriers (private individuals and companies), and people who contact us. It also covers people whose information a user gives us, for example a company representative or a person receiving a delivery.

3. What we collect

Most of this information you type or upload yourself. Some is created by the app as you use it (for example order history). Information marked "required" is needed to use that part of Trustdrop; without it we cannot provide the service.

3.1 Everyone (buyers, sellers, couriers)

3.2 Buyers

• Delivery address (street and suburb, township or town), and map coordinates: either the map pin or phone location you chose, or the centre of the place you typed. We use them to calculate the road distance.
• Order details: the seller's drop ID, item description, item amount, the R20 service fee, total paid, order reference, status history and dates.
• Delivery code: a 6-digit code created for each order. Only you can see it.

3.3 Sellers

• Pick-up address (street and area) and its map coordinates (a map pin or phone location if you chose one).
• Order details as above, including the courier you chose, the courier fee you paid in and your payout status.
• Payout details: [CONFIRM WITH LAWYER #2] When payments go live, our payment provider may ask for identity and bank details to pay you.

3.4 Couriers (registration and verification)

Your SA ID number and the selfie used for face matching are sensitive. Face matching uses biometric information, which POPIA treats as "special personal information". We process it only with your consent, only to verify your identity, and only through a verification provider bound by a written agreement. [CONFIRM WITH LAWYER #3]

3.5 Technical information

The Trustdrop app does not include analytics, advertising or crash-reporting tools. Our servers and hosting provider may record basic technical information when the app connects (such as IP address, date and time, and the request made) for security and to keep the service running. [CONFIRM SERVER/LOAD-BALANCER LOG CONTENT AND RETENTION ONCE HOSTING IS FINAL]

3.6 Payments

Payments in the current version are not yet processed by a real payment provider. When they are, card or EFT details will be entered with our payment provider [PAYMENT PROVIDER NAME (TradeSafe is the leading candidate)], not stored by Trustdrop. We will receive payment confirmations, references, amounts and payout status. [CONFIRM WITH LAWYER #4]

4. What we do not collect

• No continuous or background location. Your phone's location is read once, only when you tap Use my location, and saved as the pickup or delivery pin. Otherwise distances are worked out from the places you type.
• No contacts, call logs, SMS, microphone or calendar access. The app asks only for the camera (to take your ID selfie) and photos (to pick document images). Buyers and sellers are never asked for these.
• No advertising IDs, no ads, no selling of personal information, no sharing for other companies' marketing.

5. Why we use your information (and on what basis)

We do not use your information for purposes that are unrelated to these without telling you first and, where needed, asking for your consent.

6. Who sees or receives your information

6.1 Other Trustdrop users – only what an order needs

• Sellers see the delivery area (not the buyer's street address), the item and the amount. After a courier accepts the job, the seller sees the courier's cell number.
• Buyers see the seller's name and, once a courier is assigned, the courier's display name, "ID checked" badge, courier type and rating.
• Couriers see only the delivery area until they accept a funded job. After accepting, they see the buyer's full delivery address and the seller's name and cell number.
• Buyers and sellers never see a courier's ID number, email, home address, bank details or documents.
• The delivery code is shown only to the buyer. Never share it until you have your goods.
• Order chat is visible to the buyer and seller, and to the courier once the courier fee is paid in (the courier can then read earlier messages in that chat). Everyone in the chat sees the name you chat under and your role.
• Trustdrop staff (admins) can see the information needed to verify couriers, handle reports and resolve disputes. Full bank account numbers are masked even for staff.

6.2 Service providers ("operators") working for us

We require operators to keep information confidential and secure and to use it only for us (POPIA s20–21). [CONFIRM WITH LAWYER #7]

6.3 Others

We may share information when the law requires it (for example a court order, SARS or the police with proper authority), to protect people from fraud or harm, or if Trustdrop's business is sold or restructured (the new owner would have to follow this policy). We do not sell personal information.

7. Information leaving South Africa

We aim to store Trustdrop data in South Africa. Some providers process information elsewhere: address lookups and road-distance requests (map coordinates only) currently go to OpenStreetMap servers in Europe, and verification or payment providers may use servers outside South Africa. We only transfer personal information across borders where POPIA section 72 allows it, for example where the recipient is bound by laws or a binding agreement that give similar protection, or with your consent. [CONFIRM WITH LAWYER #8]

8. How we protect your information

• Information is sent between the app and our servers over encrypted HTTPS connections.
• Uploaded documents are stored in a private, non-public location and are only shown to authorised Trustdrop staff through the admin console. Bank account numbers are masked on screen (••••4567).
• Documents are type-checked and size-limited (JPG, PNG, WebP or PDF, max 8 MB).
• Staff decisions on couriers, disputes and reports are logged.
• Before launch we will add: individual staff logins, encryption at rest for documents, and access logging. [CONFIRM WITH LAWYER #9]

If we believe your personal information has been accessed without authorisation, we will tell you and the Information Regulator as POPIA section 22 requires.

9. How long we keep information

10. Deleting your account

You can delete your account in the app: tap the gear icon → Delete account and type DELETE to confirm. You can also ask us by email: see Delete your account for full details. We need you to finish open orders, withdraw any money due to you, and wait for any open dispute to close first, so that nobody loses money.

11. Your rights

Under POPIA you may:

• ask whether we hold information about you and ask for a copy (access, s23; see our PAIA manual [PAIA MANUAL URL]);
• ask us to correct or delete information that is wrong, out of date, incomplete or that we may no longer keep (s24);
• object to processing based on our legitimate interests (s11(3));
• withdraw consent at any time (this does not affect processing before you withdrew it; couriers who withdraw consent for verification can no longer be approved for jobs);
• complain to the Information Regulator (see section 16).

Email support@trustdrop.co.za [PLACEHOLDER – NOT YET ACTIVE] from the cell number or email linked to your account. We will check your identity before acting and reply within [RESPONSE TIME, e.g. 30 days]. [CONFIRM WITH LAWYER #13]

12. Automated checks

When a courier registers, an automated check looks at the ID number, the documents and whether the selfie matches the ID photo. A person at Trustdrop always makes the final decision; nothing is approved or rejected only by the computer. If we reject your application you will see the reason in the app and can fix and resubmit, or ask us to review the decision. [CONFIRM WITH LAWYER #14]

13. Children

Trustdrop is only for people aged 18 or older. Couriers' ages are checked from the ID number. We do not knowingly collect information about children; if you think a child has registered, contact us and we will delete the account. [CONFIRM WITH LAWYER #15]

14. Messages from us

We send in-app notifications about your orders, payments, disputes and (for couriers) your application. These are part of the service. We do not send marketing messages. If we ever want to, we will ask for your consent first and every message will have an opt-out (POPIA s69). [CONFIRM WITH LAWYER #16]

15. Changes to this policy

We will update the date at the top when this policy changes and tell you in the app about important changes before they take effect.

16. Contact and complaints

Trustdrop / [OPERATING COMPANY NAME, CIPC NO.]
Information Officer: [INFORMATION OFFICER NAME]
Email: support@trustdrop.co.za [PLACEHOLDER – NOT YET ACTIVE]
Phone: [SUPPORT PHONE NUMBER]
Address: [REGISTERED PHYSICAL ADDRESS]

If you are not happy with how we handled your request, you can complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa): inforegulator.org.za, complaints email POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za, general enquiries enquiries@inforegulator.org.za, tel. 010 023 5200, Woodmead North Office Park, 54 Maxwell Drive, Woodmead, Johannesburg, 2191. (Details checked on the Regulator's website in October 2026; please check them again before publishing.)

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