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Privacy Policy

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Last updated: 1 October 2026

At MyDomestic, we know that you trust us with sensitive information — both your own and your domestic workers'. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we protect it, and your rights under the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 ("POPIA").

This policy applies to our website (www.my-domestic.co.za) and our web app (app.my-domestic.co.za) (together, the "Service"). It forms part of our Terms and Conditions.

2.1 Who we are

Responsible party: SA Apps - Made Simple (Pty) Ltd (registration number 2026/245688/07), trading as MyDomestic

Address: Prestbury, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 3201Email: support@my-domestic.co.za

Information Officer: Telani Scheepers Lithgow (director)

Information Officer contact: support@my-domestic.co.za (marked "For the attention of the Information Officer")

2.2 Our two roles under POPIA

POPIA treats us differently depending on whose information it is:

1. Your account information – we are the "responsible party". When you sign up and use MyDomestic, we decide how and why your own information (as the account holder or invited second user) is processed. We are responsible for it under POPIA.

2. Your employees' information – you are the "responsible party" and we are your "operator". When you enter information about your domestic workers, you (the employer) decide what information to capture and why. We only process that information on your behalf, to provide the Service to you, and in line with your instructions and our Terms. Under POPIA (sections 20 and 21), we must:

  • process your employees' information only with your knowledge and authorisation;

  • treat it as confidential;

  • keep it secure using appropriate technical and organisational measures; and

  • tell you immediately if we reasonably believe it has been accessed or acquired by an unauthorised person.

Our Terms and Conditions, together with this Privacy Policy, form the written agreement between you and us required by section 21 of POPIA.

What this means for you as an employer: you are responsible for having a lawful reason to process your employees' information (for most employment records this is to comply with your legal obligations and to perform the employment contract), for telling your employees that you use MyDomestic to keep their records, and for responding to your employees' requests to access or correct their information. We will help you do this where we reasonably can.

2.3 What information we collect

2.3.1 Account information (you and your second user)

  • Name and surname, email address, phone number (if you give it to us), and login details (passwords are stored in encrypted/hashed form by our platform provider).

  • Household address and, where relevant, your UIF reference number and Compensation Fund (COIDA) registration number.

  • Subscription and billing information: plan, trial dates, payment dates, amounts, receipts and transaction references. We do not store your card details — these are handled by PayFast, our payment provider.

  • Messages you send to us (for example support emails).

2.3.2 Employee information (entered by you)

Depending on what you choose to capture, this may include: - name, surname, date of birth, gender (if recorded), contact details and home address; - South African ID number or passport number, nationality and, where relevant, work permit details; - job title, start date, working hours, duties and employment contract terms; - bank account details (for paying wages); - pay records: wages, overtime, deductions, benefits in kind, payments made and the payment method, UIF contributions, payslips, UIF summaries and Compensation Fund (COIDA) documents; - leave records, including sick leave (which may involve information about health); - loans and loan repayments made by or to the employee, and ad hoc expenses; - warnings and dismissal records; - emergency contact or next-of-kin details (if recorded); and - any notes (and, where the Service allows it, documents) you choose to add.

Special personal information. Some information, such as health information linked to sick leave, or warning and dismissal records that mention alleged criminal behaviour, may be "special personal information" under POPIA. Please only record what you need (for example, dates of sick leave rather than medical details), and do not upload medical certificates unless necessary. If you record information about an employee's children (for example for family responsibility leave), please keep it to the minimum needed.

2.3.3 Technical and usage information

When you use the Service, we (and our platform provider) automatically collect certain information, such as your IP address, browser and device type, pages viewed, date and time of access, and error logs. This helps us keep the Service secure and working properly.

2.4 Why we use your information, and our lawful basis

Purpose: Information used Lawful basis under POPIA (section 11)

Creating and managing your account, providing the Service's features: Account and employee information Necessary to perform our contract with you; for employee information, processed on your instructions as your operator

Processing Premium subscriptions, renewals and any refunds: Account and billing information Necessary to perform our contract; compliance with legal obligations (e.g. tax records)

Sending essential service messages (renewal reminders, trial reminders, security alerts, changes to terms, important updates such as minimum wage changes): Contact details Necessary to perform our contract; legal obligations (e.g. CPA renewal notices)

Customer support: Account information and what you share with us Performance of contract; our legitimate interest in helping you

Keeping the Service secure, preventing fraud and abuse, and fixing errors: Technical, account and billing information Our legitimate interest in running a safe and reliable service

Improving the Service: Usage information (in aggregated or de-identified form where possible) Our legitimate interest

Sending newsletters, tips or offers about MyDomestic: Name and email Your consent, or (for existing customers) our legitimate interest in marketing similar services, with an easy opt-out every time (POPIA section 69)

Complying with the law and protecting our legal rights: Any relevant information Legal obligation; legitimate interest

We will never sell your or your employees' personal information, and we will never use your employees' information for our own marketing.

2.5 Who we share information with

We only share personal information where necessary, and with service providers who are bound to protect it:

  • Base44 (our hosting and app platform provider). The MyDomestic app is built and hosted on the Base44 platform, which stores and processes the data in the app on our behalf, using its own cloud infrastructure providers.

  • PayFast (our payment provider). Processes Premium payments and recurring annual billing. PayFast receives the information needed to process your payment (such as your name, email, and the card or bank details you give PayFast directly) and handles it under its own privacy policy and the card industry's security standards (PCI DSS).

  • Email service providers. The providers (including those used through our platform provider) that send our service emails, such as account, trial and renewal emails.

  • Analytics tools. If we use analytics to understand how the Service is used, the provider receives usage information, in aggregated or de-identified form where possible.

  • Professional advisers (for example our accountant or attorney), where necessary and under confidentiality.

  • Authorities, where we are required by law, court order or to protect our legal rights.

  • A buyer or successor, if MyDomestic is sold or transferred, on condition that they protect your information in line with this policy.

We do not share your employees' information with anyone other than our service providers needed to run the Service, unless you instruct us to or the law requires it.

2.6 Cross-border transfers (information stored outside South Africa)

Our platform provider, Base44, and some of our other service providers may store and process information on servers located outside South Africa (for example in the United States and/or the European Union). This means your and your employees' information may be transferred across borders.

Under section 72 of POPIA, we will only transfer personal information outside South Africa where:

  • the recipient is subject to a law, binding corporate rules or a binding agreement that provides an adequate level of protection substantially similar to POPIA; or

  • the transfer is necessary to perform our contract with you; or

  • you have consented to the transfer.

We choose reputable providers with strong security and data protection commitments. By using the Service, you acknowledge that your information and the employee information you enter will be stored and processed outside South Africa as described here. As the responsible party for your employees' information, you should let your employees know that their records are stored with a cloud service that may be located outside South Africa.

2.7 How we keep information safe

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, damage, unauthorised access and unlawful processing, as required by section 19 of POPIA. These include:

  • encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS) between your browser and the Service;

  • secure hosting on the Base44 platform, which uses industry-standard security measures and access controls;

  • password-protected accounts, with each household's data kept separate from other accounts;

  • limiting access to personal information to people who need it to run the Service (currently only the directors of MyDomestic), who are bound by confidentiality; and

  • not storing card details ourselves.

No system is 100% secure. Please help protect your account by using a strong, unique password and only inviting trusted people as a second user.

If there is a security breach affecting personal information, we will notify the Information Regulator and affected account holders as required by section 22 of POPIA, and tell you promptly if your employees' information is affected so that you can meet your own obligations.

2.8 How long we keep information

We keep personal information only for as long as we need it for the purposes above, or as required by law:

  • Account and employee information: for as long as your account is active. If you close your account, we will delete or de-identify it within 30 days, except as set out below. Copies in backups are removed as part of the normal backup cycle, within 90 days.

  • Inactive free accounts: if a free account is not used for 24 months, we may email you and, if you do not respond within 30 days, delete it.

  • Billing and transaction records: for at least five years, as required by tax and financial laws.

  • Support correspondence: for up to 3 years after it is resolved.

Important for employers: the law requires you to keep certain employment records (for example, the BCEA requires records of employees' names, pay and working time to be kept for at least three years after the date of the last entry). MyDomestic is a tool to help you keep these records, but it is your responsibility to download and keep copies before closing your account.

2.9 Your rights

Under POPIA, you have the right to:

  • access the personal information we hold about you (you can see most of it in your account);

  • ask us to correct or delete personal information that is inaccurate, out of date, excessive or unlawfully obtained;

  • object to processing based on legitimate interests, and to opt out of marketing at any time (use the unsubscribe link or email us);

  • withdraw consent where processing is based on consent (this won't affect processing already done);

  • be told if your information has been accessed by an unauthorised person; and

  • complain to the Information Regulator.

To exercise these rights, email support@my-domestic.co.za. We may need to verify your identity. We will respond within a reasonable time, and within 30 days. Requests for access to records may also be made under the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (PAIA).

Requests from employees. If you are a domestic worker whose employer uses MyDomestic, your employer is responsible for your information. Please contact your employer first. If you contact us, we will refer your request to your employer and assist them where we can.

2.10 Cookies and similar technologies

Our website and app use cookies and similar technologies (such as local storage) to:

  • keep you logged in and the app working (essential — the Service can't work without these);

  • remember your preferences; and

  • understand how the Service is used (for example through basic analytics), where we use these tools.

We do not use cookies for third-party advertising. You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings, but blocking essential cookies may stop the app from working.

2.11 Children

The Service is for adults (18+). We do not knowingly collect information from children as users. Employers must not employ children under 15 (BCEA section 43), and should not use the Service to record children's information except to the minimum extent needed (for example, family responsibility leave).

2.12 Links to other websites

The Service may link to other websites (for example the Department of Employment and Labour, uFiling or the Compensation Fund's online services). We are not responsible for their privacy practices; please read their policies.

2.13 Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated version on our website with a new "last updated" date, and notify you by email or in the app of any significant changes.

2.14 Contact us and the Information Regulator

If you have questions or concerns about your privacy, please contact our Information Officer:

Telani Scheepers Lithgow, Information Officer, MyDomestic Email: support@my-domestic.co.za Address: Prestbury, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, 3201If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator:

Information Regulator (South Africa) Physical address: Woodmead North Office Park, 54 Maxwell Drive, Woodmead, Johannesburg, 2191 Postal address: P.O. Box 31533, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2017 Telephone: 010 023 5200 | Toll-free: 0800 017 160 General enquiries: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za POPIA complaints (Form 5): POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za Website: www.inforegulator.org.za

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