Privacy Policy

Last Updated: March 2026

Applicable legislation: Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA)

 1. Introduction

GynaecologyGuide.co.za (the "Site") is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly and transparently. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and what your rights are in relation to it.

This Policy applies to all users of the Site, including visitors who browse the Site without submitting any information, and users who submit an enquiry through our contact form.

We have drafted this Policy in plain language to make it as clear and accessible as possible. By using the Site, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. Terms not defined in this Policy bear the meanings assigned to them in our Terms and Conditions and in POPIA.

 2. Responsible Party

The responsible party for the purposes of POPIA is the operator of GynaecologyGuide.co.za. For any privacy-related enquiries, requests, or complaints, please contact us at: info@gynaecologyguide.co.za

 3. What Personal Information We Collect

We collect personal information in two ways:

3.1  Information you provide voluntarily

The only time you are required to provide personal information is when you submit an enquiry through our contact form. The information collected through the contact form includes:

• Full name;

• Contact number;

• Email address;

• City or area;

• Reason for visit (selected from a dropdown);

• Medical aid or cash patient status;

• Preferred contact time.

You are not required to provide any personal information to browse the Site. Submitting the contact form is entirely voluntary.

3.2  Information collected automatically

When you visit the Site, certain non-personal technical information may be collected automatically through Google Analytics, including your approximate geographic location, browser type, device type, pages visited, and time spent on the Site. This information is aggregated and anonymous, it cannot be used to identify you personally. Please refer to Google's Privacy Policy for further information on how Google Analytics processes this data.

We do not use cookies to collect personal information. The Site does not operate its own cookie management system. Any cookies present on the Site are attributable to Google Sites and Google Analytics infrastructure. You may manage cookie preferences through your browser settings.

 4. Why We Collect Your Personal Information

We collect personal information only for specific, defined purposes as required by POPIA. The purposes for which we process your personal information are:

4.1  Primary purpose — Enquiry facilitation

The primary purpose for collecting information submitted through the contact form is to transmit your enquiry to the gynaecologist practice you have selected, so that the practice can contact you to arrange a consultation. This is the core function of the Site and the reason the contact form exists.

Without your contact details, name, and stated preferences, we are unable to transmit your enquiry and the service cannot be provided.

4.2  Secondary purposes

We may also use your contact information for the following secondary purposes:

•        Sending newsletters containing women's health information, updates to the Site, or new listings;

•        Notifying you of competitions, giveaways, or promotional activities run by GynaecologyGuide.co.za.

You can opt out at any time by contacting us at info@gynaecologyguide.co.za.

 5. How We Store Your Personal Information

Your personal information is stored offline in a secure, access-controlled format. We do not operate an online database or cloud-based storage system for personal information submitted through the contact form.

We take reasonable and appropriate measures to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure. While no storage method is entirely without risk, offline storage significantly reduces exposure to the types of data breaches associated with online databases.

Personal information is retained only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law. Once your enquiry has been transmitted to the relevant practice and the purpose has been fulfilled, your information will be retained only if you have consented to secondary communications, or if retention is required for legal compliance purposes.

 6. How We Share Your Personal Information

6.1  Sharing with Practitioners

The personal information you submit through the contact form will be shared with the gynaecologist practice you have selected for the sole purpose of facilitating your appointment enquiry. This sharing is necessary to provide the service you have requested and forms part of the primary purpose of collection.

Once your information has been transmitted to the practice, that practice becomes an independent responsible party in respect of your information and their handling of it falls under their own privacy policies and POPIA obligations. We are not responsible for how practitioners handle your information after transmission.

6.2  Google Analytics

Anonymised, aggregated usage data may be shared with Google Analytics for the purpose of understanding how the Site is used. This data cannot identify you personally. Please refer to Google's Privacy Policy at policies.google.com for further details.

6.3  Legal obligations

We may disclose your personal information where required to do so by law, court order, or lawful request by a competent authority.

 7. Special Personal Information

POPIA affords additional protection to certain categories of sensitive personal information, including information relating to health. The information you provide through our contact form, specifically your reason for visiting a gynaecologist and your medical aid status, may constitute special personal information as contemplated in POPIA.

By voluntarily submitting this information through the contact form, you expressly consent to its processing for the sole purpose of transmitting your enquiry to the relevant practice. We do not process this information for any other purpose, and it is never shared beyond what is necessary to facilitate your enquiry.

 8. Your Rights as a Data Subject

In terms of POPIA, you have the following rights in relation to your personal information:

8.1  Right of access

You have the right to request confirmation of whether we hold personal information about you, and to request a description of that information.

8.2  Right to correction or deletion

You have the right to request that we correct inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated personal information, or that we delete personal information that we are no longer authorised to retain. We will action deletion requests promptly. Please note that deletion of your information from our records does not affect any information already transmitted to and held by a practitioner's practice — you will need to contact the practice directly in that regard.

8.3  Right to object to processing

You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information at any time. If you object to the use of your information for secondary purposes such as newsletters or promotional communications, we will immediately cease such processing.

8.4  Right to withdraw consent

Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time by contacting us at info@gynaecologyguide.co.za. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out prior to withdrawal.

8.5  Right to opt out of direct communications

If you have consented to receiving newsletters or promotional communications and wish to unsubscribe, you may do so at any time by:

•        Clicking the unsubscribe link included in any communication we send you; or

•        Sending an email to info@gynaecologyguide.co.za with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line.

We will action unsubscribe requests within a reasonable time and at no cost to you.

 9. Children

This Site is intended for use by persons aged 18 years and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from persons under the age of 18. If you are under 18, you may only use the Site with the supervision and consent of a parent or legal guardian, who accepts responsibility for your use of the Site and this Privacy Policy on your behalf.

If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a person under the age of 18 without appropriate consent, we will delete that information promptly upon notification.

 10. Third Party Websites and Links

The Site may contain links to external websites, including the websites of listed practitioners. This Privacy Policy applies only to information collected through the Site. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of any third party website, including practitioner practice websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external website you visit.

 11. Amendments to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, the law, or the operation of the Site. Any amendments will be published on the Site with an updated "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this Policy periodically. Your continued use of the Site following the publication of an amended Policy constitutes your acceptance of the changes.

12. Contact and Requests

For any questions, requests, or complaints relating to this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal information, please contact us at: info@gynaecologyguide.co.za

We will respond to all requests within a reasonable time. Where a request relates to the correction, deletion, or access to personal information, we will endeavour to respond within 30 days of receipt.