Privacy Policy

1. Purpose

Prestige Metering Services (Pty) Ltd (“Prestige”) respects the privacy of its customers, clients, employees, suppliers, website and application users, and other persons whose personal information it processes.

This Privacy Policy explains how Prestige collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”).

2. Personal Information We Collect

Depending on the services provided and the relationship with the person concerned, Prestige may collect and process information including:

• Names, identity or passport numbers where required, and contact details.
• Residential, postal, property, and unit information.
• Ownership, tenancy, landlord, and managing-agent information.
• Account, meter, consumption, billing, and payment information.
• Information contained in applications, agreements, and correspondence.
• Employment and related information where required for an application or business purpose.
• Banking or payment information where reasonably necessary.
• Information relating to prepaid vending transactions and customer accounts.
• Website, app, system, and support information.
• Other information reasonably required to provide Prestige’s services or comply with legal obligations.

3. How We Collect Personal Information

Prestige may collect personal information:

• Directly from you when you apply for or use our services, communicate with us, create an account, or use our website, app, or support services.
• From a Body Corporate, homeowners’ association, landlord, managing agent, property owner, or other client where they are lawfully entitled to provide the information to Prestige.
• From payment, prepaid vending, and other service providers used in providing our services.
• From other lawful sources where reasonably necessary.

4. Why We Process Personal Information

Prestige processes personal information where reasonably necessary to:

• Provide and administer utility management, metering, billing, and prepaid vending services.
• Open, maintain, and administer customer accounts.
• Record and administer electricity and water consumption.
• Issue invoices, statements, tokens, and other communications.
• Process and allocate payments and prepaid vending transactions.
• Administer client-authorised allocations of prepaid vending payments toward levy arrears and other authorised amounts in accordance with client instructions and contractual mandates.
• Provide customer support and respond to queries and complaints.
• Administer contracts with clients, suppliers, and service providers.
• Prevent or investigate fraud, misuse, and security incidents.
• Comply with legal, regulatory, tax, and accounting obligations.
• Establish, exercise, or defend legal rights.

Prestige processes personal information on the lawful grounds permitted by POPIA, including where processing is necessary for a contract, required by law, protects a legitimate interest, or is carried out with consent where consent is required.

5. Providing Personal Information

The provision of certain personal information may be necessary for Prestige to provide or administer its services or to comply with legal or contractual requirements.

Where required information is not provided, Prestige may be unable to open or administer an account, process an application, or provide the relevant service.

6. Sharing of Personal Information

Prestige does not sell personal information. Where lawful and necessary, personal information may be provided to or processed by appropriate parties including:

• Municipalities or local supply authorities.
• Relevant property owners, clients, Bodies Corporate, homeowners’ associations, and managing agents.
• Banks and payment service providers.
• Prepaid vending and technology service providers.
• IT, hosting, and communications providers.
• Accountants, auditors, attorneys, and other professional advisers.
• Insurers.
• Government departments, regulators, or other statutory bodies.
• Other service providers processing information for or on behalf of Prestige.

Information is only shared where reasonably necessary and subject to applicable law and appropriate contractual or confidentiality requirements.

7. Payment Information

Online card and other electronic payments may be processed through third-party payment service providers.

Prestige does not store customers’ complete payment card details on its website or app. Payment service providers process payment information in accordance with their own security and privacy requirements.

8. Website, App and Cookies

Prestige’s website and app may use technologies or third-party services necessary for functionality, security, performance, payments, or service delivery.

These services may process technical information such as device, browser, connection, or usage information where applicable.

Prestige does not use personal information for third-party advertising.

9. Storage and Security

Prestige takes reasonable and appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard personal information against loss, damage, unauthorised destruction, unlawful access, or unlawful processing.

Personal information may be stored electronically or in hard-copy form and is retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or as required or permitted by law.

When personal information is no longer required and there is no lawful reason for retaining it, it will be destroyed, deleted, or de-identified as appropriate.

10. Processing Outside South Africa

Prestige primarily uses systems and hosting infrastructure located in South Africa.

Prestige also uses Microsoft 365 and other technology, communications, website, payment, and service providers that may process personal information outside South Africa.

Where personal information is transferred outside South Africa, Prestige will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer complies with Section 72 of POPIA.

11. Security Compromises

Where Prestige has reasonable grounds to believe that personal information has been accessed or acquired by an unauthorised person, Prestige will deal with the security compromise and provide the notifications required by POPIA.

12. Your Rights

Subject to POPIA and other applicable laws, you may:

• Ask whether Prestige holds personal information about you.
• Request access to your personal information.
• Request correction or deletion of information that is inaccurate, irrelevant, excessive, outdated, incomplete, misleading, or unlawfully obtained.
• Object to certain processing where POPIA permits an objection.
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.

Prestige may require reasonable proof of identity or authority before providing access to or changing personal information.

Where a prescribed POPIA form is required, the applicable form may be obtained from the Information Regulator’s website or requested from Prestige.

13. Information Officer

Information Officer: Nathalia Visser
Deputy Information Officer: Amanda Visser
Telephone: 012 349 1144
Email: info@prestige-metering.co.za
Address: 50 Hesketh Drive, Moreleta Park, Pretoria, Gauteng

Requests concerning personal information may be submitted using the contact details above.

14. Information Regulator

A person who believes that their personal information has been processed in contravention of POPIA may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.

Information Regulator (South Africa)
Telephone: 010 023 5200
Email: POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za

15. Changes to this Privacy Policy

Prestige may update this Privacy Policy where necessary to reflect changes in its services, processing activities, or legal requirements.

The current version will be published on Prestige’s website.