Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 2026 | POPIA Compliant

1. Introduction

Hambo Lwethu Travel (Pty) Ltd ("HLT Travel", "we", "us") is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and other applicable South African legislation.

This policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our platform.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of personal information:

Identity information: Name, surname, ID number (for travel documentation)
Contact information: Email address, phone number, physical address
Financial information: Bank account details for EFT payments
Travel information: Travel preferences, booking history, loyalty programme data
Technical information: IP address, browser type, device information, usage data
Location data: With your consent, for nearby deals and services

3. Legal Basis for Processing (POPIA Section 11)

We process your personal information on the following grounds:

Your consent (e.g., marketing communications)
Contractual necessity (e.g., fulfilling bookings)
Legal obligation (e.g., tax records)
Legitimate interest (e.g., fraud prevention, service improvement)

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to:

Process and manage your bookings
Communicate with you about your travel arrangements
Personalise your experience and provide relevant recommendations
Administer the loyalty programme
Improve our services and platform
Comply with legal obligations
Prevent fraud and ensure security
Send marketing communications (with your consent)

5. Sharing Your Information

We share personal information with:

Travel suppliers: Airlines, hotels, car hire companies, and experience providers to fulfil your bookings
Payment processors: To securely process your payments
Analytics providers: To understand and improve our services
Law enforcement: When required by law or court order

We never sell your personal information to third parties. All third-party service providers are bound by data processing agreements.

6. Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject, you have the right to:

Access your personal information held by us
Request correction of inaccurate information
Request deletion of your personal information
Object to the processing of your information
Withdraw consent for processing
Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator
Request restriction of processing
Data portability

To exercise any of these rights, contact our Information Officer at info@hambolwethu.co.za.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. Specifically:

Account data: retained while account is active, deleted 12 months after closure
Booking records: retained for 5 years for legal and tax compliance
Marketing consent: retained until withdrawn
Technical logs: retained for 12 months

8. Security Measures

We implement industry-standard security measures including:

SSL/TLS encryption for all data in transit
Encryption at rest for sensitive data
Regular security audits and penetration testing
Access controls and authentication mechanisms
Employee training on data protection

9. Cross-Border Transfers

Your information may be transferred to suppliers or service providers outside South Africa. We ensure adequate safeguards are in place in accordance with POPIA Section 72.

10. Children's Privacy

Our platform is not intended for use by children under 18 without parental consent. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18.

11. Information Officer

Our Information Officer can be contacted at info@hambolwethu.co.za for any privacy-related queries, requests, or complaints.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via email or a prominent notice on the Platform.