Privacy Policy

Last updated: 29 October 2026

1. Who we are

Wolwekraal Conservation and Research Organisation (WCRO), NPO registration number 121-079, is responsible for personal information it collects and uses for its website and related activities. This notice covers website visitors, people who contact us, newsletter subscribers, donors, event participants and people enquiring about visits, research or education. It supplements our published POPIA compliance and PAIA manuals. Applicable law governs if any document is inconsistent with it.

2. Information we collect

Depending on your interaction, we may receive your name, email address, telephone number, message and correspondence; newsletter subscription choices; booking or RSVP details; and donation amount, date, payment reference and information needed for receipts or legally required records. Our contact form requests a name and email address. Provide only information relevant to your enquiry. Technical records may include an IP address, browser or device information, pages requested and access times, generated when your browser communicates with the website or its service providers. Cookies are explained separately in our Cookie Policy.

3. Where information comes from

We generally collect information directly from you through forms, email, telephone, WhatsApp, subscriptions, bookings and donations. Relevant payment confirmations may come from our bank or payment provider. If someone organises a group visit on your behalf, we may receive the contact or participant details needed to make those arrangements. Please provide another person’s information only when you have authority to do so and make this notice available to them.

4. Why we use information

We use relevant information to answer enquiries; organise visits, events and educational or research activities; administer donations and receipts; send requested newsletters; keep necessary financial and organisational records; protect the website; and comply with legal obligations. We rely on consent where required, steps requested by you or performance of an agreement, legal obligations, or legitimate interests such as responding to an enquiry and maintaining secure services, as permitted by POPIA. We do not treat a donation, RSVP or enquiry as automatic permission to add you to a marketing list.

5. Your choices and required information

Providing information is generally voluntary, but without necessary contact, booking or payment information we may be unable to respond, confirm an arrangement or issue a requested receipt. Required fields are marked on forms. You may withdraw consent for future consent-based processing, without affecting prior lawful processing or records we must keep on another lawful basis.

6. Newsletters

Our website links to an EmailOctopus subscription page. If you subscribe, your subscription information is processed using that service to deliver WCRO updates. You can unsubscribe using the link in a newsletter or contact us. Service messages about an enquiry, booking or payment are separate from marketing. Newsletter systems can support delivery records and open or link-click reporting; ask us about the tracking settings applying to your subscription if you need further information.

7. Donations and payments

If you follow a Yoco payment link, payment details are entered with Yoco and handled under its privacy and security arrangements. WCRO may receive transaction and donor information needed to reconcile a donation or issue a receipt. Bank transfers generate information in our bank records. Please do not submit full payment-card details through our contact form, email or WhatsApp.

8. Who may receive information

Access is limited to people who need information for their duties, including authorised WCRO personnel and relevant service providers. Depending on the service used, these may include website hosting and maintenance providers, email and newsletter providers, banks, payment processors and professional advisers. We may disclose information where legally required, to respond to a lawful regulatory request, or to protect legal rights. We require providers processing information on our behalf to apply appropriate confidentiality and security obligations. Independent services, such as your bank or WhatsApp, also process information under their own notices.

9. International processing

Some electronic communication and service providers may process information outside South Africa. Any transfer for which WCRO is responsible must meet POPIA’s requirements, such as adequate protection under an applicable law or binding agreement, valid consent, or another permitted ground. Contact us for information about providers and safeguards relevant to your interaction.

10. Retention and security

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably needed for its purpose, required by law, or necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal rights. Retention depends on the record: an enquiry, subscription and financial record may require different periods. We then delete, destroy or de-identify information as appropriate. A limited suppression record may be retained to respect an unsubscribe request. We take reasonable organisational and technical steps to protect information; no electronic service can guarantee absolute security. Where a security compromise requires notification under POPIA, we will notify the Information Regulator and affected people as required.

11. Children and sensitive information

School and family activities may involve children. We seek consent from a parent, guardian or other legally competent person where required before processing a child’s information. Only provide health, accessibility or other sensitive information when it is necessary for arrangements; contact us to agree an appropriate way to provide it. Any such information must be handled on a lawful basis with appropriate safeguards. Participation in an activity does not by itself authorise unrestricted use of a participant’s photograph.

12. Your rights

Subject to POPIA and other applicable law, you may ask whether we hold your personal information, request access, ask for correction or deletion of information we are not entitled to retain, object to processing on legally recognised grounds, withdraw consent, and object to direct marketing. We may need reasonable identity verification before releasing or changing records. Confirmation of whether we hold your information is free; any fee for access to records must be legally permitted and explained before it is charged. Our PAIA manual provides further information on formal access requests.

13. Privacy requests and complaints

Address requests to the Information Officer through conservation@wcro.co.za, or telephone +27 82 770 0206. Our published POPIA manual identifies Suzanne Jane Milton Dean as Information Officer. You may also use WklConsResOrg@gmail.com, the contact in our published PAIA manual. You may complain directly to South Africa’s Information Regulator without first exhausting our internal process. See https://inforegulator.org.za/complaints/ for current procedures; contact POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za or +27 10 023 5200.

14. Updates and contact

We may update this notice when our activities, services or legal obligations change. The date below identifies the latest version. Email: conservation@wcro.co.za. Telephone/WhatsApp: +27 82 770 0206. Website: https://wcro.co.za. Visitor contact address: 1 Van Dyk Street, Prince Albert, South Africa.