1. Our role and contact

HostWins is responsible for personal information used to operate its website, customer accounts, billing and support. Send privacy requests to support@hostwins.co.za for the attention of the Information Officer. You may also contact +27 71 881 4553.

For information you put into your hosted websites, databases or mailboxes, you generally decide its purpose and remain the responsible party. Where we process that content on your instructions, we act as an operator and must apply appropriate confidentiality and security safeguards. Contact us for an operator agreement where required for your use.

2. Information and sources

We process account and contact details, company and billing information, invoices and transaction references, domain registrant details, support messages and chat conversations. Hosting and email services store the files, messages and databases you provide. Security and usage records may include IP addresses, device/browser information, logins and service events.

We receive information from you, your authorised contacts, use of our services, and necessary confirmations from payment providers, registrars and registries. We request only information relevant to the purpose. Do not send passwords, PINs, full card details or unnecessary identity or sensitive documents through chat.

3. Purposes and lawful grounds

We use information to assess and fulfil orders; provision services; register, renew and transfer domains; communicate with you; reconcile payments; provide support; maintain security; investigate abuse; and comply with legal duties. Depending on the purpose, processing is necessary for a contract, a legal duty, a properly balanced legitimate interest or consent.

Without required contact, billing or registrant details we may be unable to provide the service. Optional marketing information is not a condition of access. Where consent is the basis, you may withdraw it without affecting earlier lawful processing.

4. Providers and recipients

Relevant information may be processed by hosting/infrastructure suppliers, domain registrars and registries, payment processors, support and communications providers and professional advisers. They receive only information appropriate to their function, with suitable confidentiality, security and contractual safeguards where required. We may disclose information where a lawful demand or legal obligation requires it.

Payment details entered on a provider’s payment screen are handled under that provider’s notice; HostWins uses the transaction information needed to administer your account. Do not send card details directly to our support team. Domain registrant disclosure depends on the registry’s rules and applicable law. You can request information about the provider relevant to your service.

5. Chat and automated assistance

HostWins Chat provides automated assistance and human support. Conversation content and contact details may be used to answer questions, maintain the conversation and arrange human takeover. Where AI assistance is enabled, relevant message content may be processed by OpenAI to generate replies, including processing outside South Africa.

Avoid sensitive information in chat. Automated responses may be inaccurate; ask for a human for an account, cancellation or billing matter. We do not use this policy to authorise decisions producing substantial legal effects based solely on automated processing without the protections required by POPIA.

6. Cookies and marketing choices

The website, portal and chat use session, login and security technologies to operate their functions. Your browser can manage or remove cookies, although blocking essential technologies may prevent parts of the service from working. Any optional analytics or advertising processing must be disclosed and, where required, supported by a suitable choice or consent mechanism before use.

Electronic marketing requires consent or another permitted basis, such as the qualifying existing-customer exception. Marketing messages must identify the sender and offer a straightforward opt-out. Opting out does not stop necessary invoices, renewal reminders or security messages. We do not sell your personal information.

7. International processing and safeguards

Our service providers may process relevant information outside South Africa. Such transfers must satisfy POPIA section 72, for example through adequate protection under law or a binding agreement, or another applicable permitted basis. You may ask us about the destinations and safeguards relevant to your service.

We apply appropriate technical and organisational security safeguards and require confidentiality from authorised operators. No internet service is risk-free. If there are reasonable grounds to believe personal information has been accessed or acquired by an unauthorised person, we will follow POPIA’s notification requirements for the Regulator and affected people.

8. Retention

We retain information only for the time needed for its purpose, a legal obligation or a justified dispute or security need. Billing records may need to survive account closure. Support records and technical logs are reviewed against their operational and legal purpose; they are not retained indefinitely merely because storage is available.

Hosted content becomes unavailable when the service ends. Cancellation does not include an archival service. Residual backup copies may remain until normal backup rotation, subject to access restrictions; ask support about the deletion and restore position for your account before cancelling. We will delete or de-identify information when continued identifiable retention is no longer justified.

9. Your rights and complaints

Subject to lawful conditions, you may request access, correction or deletion; object to processing; withdraw consent; and challenge an automated decision where applicable. We may verify identity proportionately before releasing information. Any lawful refusal, prescribed process or permitted fee will be explained.

You may complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa) directly. We do not knowingly collect children’s information without the competent person’s consent or another lawful basis. Material changes to this notice will be dated and communicated as appropriate.

Contact HostWins

Email support@hostwins.co.za, call +27 71 881 4553, or open a support ticket. Include your service or invoice reference. Never send your password or full card details.