VC Village Club

Privacy Policy

Version 1.3 • Effective upon use of the Platform

Village Club (Pty) Ltd respects your privacy. This policy applies to Members (App Users) and Restaurant Partners (Web Portal Users).

1. Information We Collect

1.1 From Members (App Users)

  • Identity Data: Name, Email, Mobile Number.
  • Biometric Data: Profile Photo (Mandatory for identity verification).
  • Transaction Data: Subscription status (via App Stores), redemption history.
  • Device Data: Device ID, IP address, Location (if permission granted).
  • Diagnostic Data: Crash reports, error logs, device model, and operating system version.

1.2 From Partners (Restaurants)

  • Business Data: Company Name, Registration Number, VAT Number, Address.
  • Signatory Data: Full Name, ID/Passport Number, Contact Details.
  • Operational Data: Menu pricing, discount settings, banking details.

2. How We Use Your Data

2.1 Service Delivery

  • Members: To verify your active subscription and eligibility for discounts.
  • Partners: To manage your listing and process your contract.

2.2 The Verification Process (Crucial)

Members: You explicitly consent to us displaying your Name and Profile Photo to Restaurant Staff on the verification/redemption screen for the sole purpose of preventing account sharing and fraud. Restaurants are instructed not to store or record this information.

2.3 Location Services

  • We use your GPS location to sort the "Restaurants Near Me" list.
  • We do not store a historical log of your movements.

2.4 App Stability & Diagnostics

  • We collect crash reports and diagnostic data to identify and fix bugs.
  • This data may be linked to your account to help us investigate issues you report.

3. Data Sharing

3.1 No Sale of Data: We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

3.2 With Restaurants: When a Member redeems, we share verification data (Name, Photo, Status) with the Restaurant. We do not share your email or phone number unless you opt-in to specific marketing.

3.3 Service Providers: We share data with trusted infrastructure providers (e.g., AWS for hosting, Google/Apple for payments, Firebase for app diagnostics and notifications, Google Analytics for website usage analytics).

3.4 International Transfers: Some of our service providers are located outside South Africa. By using the Platform, you consent to the transfer of your personal information to these jurisdictions. We ensure these providers adhere to standards consistent with POPIA.

4. Data Security

We employ industry-standard encryption (SSL/TLS) for data in transit and at rest. Access to personal data is restricted to authorized Village Club personnel.

5. Your Rights (POPIA)

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), you have the right to:

  • Access: Request a copy of your personal data.
  • Correction: Update inaccurate data via the App/Portal.
  • Deletion: Request deletion of your account (subject to legal retention requirements).

6. Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary, unless a longer period is required or permitted by law.

  • Account profile data: Retained while your account is active; deleted or anonymized after account closure.
  • Redemption history: Retained for operational, fraud-prevention, and audit purposes.
  • Contracts (Partners): Retained for audit and compliance purposes.
  • Support records: Retained to resolve issues and meet legal obligations.

7. Website Analytics & Cookies

Our websites (villageclub.co.za and restaurant.villageclub.co.za) use Google Analytics 4 to understand how visitors interact with our pages. This service uses first-party cookies to distinguish unique visitors and track page views, scroll depth, and outbound link clicks. No personally identifiable information is shared with Google through this service. We use this data to improve our website and measure the effectiveness of our marketing efforts. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

8. Contact

For privacy inquiries or to exercise your rights, contact our Information Officer at: legal@villageclub.co.za