Last updated: March 2026
Van Zylsvlei Guest Farm (“we”, “us”, or “our”) operates the website www.vanzylsvlei.co.za (the “Website”). We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA) and other applicable South African laws.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect your personal information when you visit our Website, make inquiries, book accommodation, or interact with us in any way.
1. What is Personal Information?
Personal information means any information that can identify you as an individual (a living natural person) or, where applicable, a juristic person (e.g., company). This includes but is not limited to:
- Name and surname
- Contact details (email address, telephone number, physical address)
- Identity/passport number (for check-in and legal requirements)
- Payment details (processed securely via third-party providers)
- Booking preferences and stay details
- IP address, browser type, and device information (collected automatically via the Website)
2. Information We Collect
We collect personal information in the following ways:
- Directly from you: When you submit a booking inquiry, contact form, reservation request, or provide details during check-in (e.g., name, email, phone, number of guests, ID/passport for compliance with tourism laws).
- Automatically: When you visit the Website, we may collect technical data such as IP address, browser type, pages viewed, time/date of visit, and referring site (via cookies or similar technologies—see section on Cookies below).
- From third parties: If you book through a platform like Booking.com, LekkeSlaap, or NightsBridge, we may receive limited booking details from them.
We only collect what is reasonably necessary for the purposes described below.
3. How We Use Your Personal Information
We process your personal information for the following lawful purposes (in line with POPIA conditions):
- To respond to inquiries and provide quotations.
- To process and confirm bookings/reservations.
- To manage your stay (check-in, check-out, facilities access).
- To communicate with you about your booking, changes, or special requests.
- To comply with legal obligations (e.g., tourism registration, tax requirements, or sharing guest registers with authorities if required).
- To improve our Website and services (using anonymized analytics).
- For direct marketing (e.g., newsletters about specials) — only if you have consented or it is lawful under POPIA.
We will not use your information for unrelated purposes without your consent or another lawful basis.
4. Sharing Your Personal Information
We may share your personal information with:
- Service providers who assist us (e.g., booking system providers, payment gateways, cloud storage) — they are bound by strict confidentiality and POPIA-compliant agreements.
- Authorities if required by law (e.g., South African Police Service, tourism regulators).
- In the event of a business transfer (e.g., sale of the guesthouse) — we will notify you where required.
We do not sell your personal information to third parties.
5. Storage and Security of Your Personal Information
We store your information securely using reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect against unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. Data is retained only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purpose (e.g., booking records kept for tax/legal periods, typically 5–7 years) or as required by law, after which it is securely deleted or anonymized.
Unfortunately, no transmission or storage method is 100% secure, but we take appropriate steps to safeguard your data.
6. Your Rights Under POPIA
You have the right to:
- Access your personal information we hold.
- Request correction or deletion of inaccurate/incomplete data.
- Object to processing (in certain cases).
- Withdraw consent (where processing is based on consent).
- Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.
To exercise these rights, contact us using the details below.
7. Cookies and Similar Technologies
Our Website may use cookies or similar technologies for functionality and analytics. You can manage preferences via your browser settings. We do not use cookies for extensive tracking without consent. For more details, see our [Cookie Policy] (add if separate) or contact us.
8. International Transfers
If any data is transferred outside South Africa (e.g., to cloud servers), we ensure adequate protections are in place as required by POPIA.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will be posted here with a revised “last updated” date. Continued use of the Website after changes constitutes acceptance.
10. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact our Information Officer:
Van Zylsvlei Guest Farm Address: Van Zylsvlei, PhilIippolis Road, R717, Colesberg, 9795 Email: info@vanzylsvlei.co.za Phone: 084 514 0837
You may also contact the Information Regulator: Email: inforeg@justice.gov.za Phone: +27 (0) 10 023 5207
By using our Website or providing us with your personal information, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.
Thank you for trusting Van Zylsvlei Guest Farm with your information.