Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

J Rawat and Company Inc ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and all applicable South African data protection legislation.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when you interact with our website, contact us, or use our professional services.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal information:

• Contact information: Name, email address, telephone number, and physical address.
• Business information: Company name, industry, and the nature of services requested.
• Financial information: Where required to provide accounting, tax, audit, or advisory services — financial records, tax numbers, and related documentation.
• Communication records: Correspondence, enquiries, and records of meetings or consultations.
• Website usage data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, and time spent on our website (collected via standard server logs and analytics tools).

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process personal information only where we have a lawful basis to do so, including:

• To fulfil a contract with you or to take steps at your request before entering into a contract;
• To comply with a legal obligation (including tax, audit, and company secretarial obligations under South African law);
• Where you have given your consent; or
• Where processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided these do not override your rights.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use personal information to:

• Provide accounting, tax, audit, payroll, secretarial, and advisory services;
• Respond to enquiries and process quote requests;
• Comply with statutory and regulatory obligations including SARS, CIPC, and IRBA requirements;
• Send service-related communications and updates;
• Improve our website and service delivery;
• Maintain client records as required by professional standards.

5. Sharing of Personal Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share information with:

• Regulatory authorities: SARS, CIPC, IRBA, and other bodies where required by law;
• Service providers: Third-party technology and cloud service providers engaged to support our operations, subject to appropriate data processing agreements;
• Professional advisors: Where necessary in the course of providing our services, with your knowledge.

All third parties with whom we share data are required to maintain the confidentiality and security of that information.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, and for such longer periods as may be required by law. Client files are generally retained for a minimum of five years in accordance with professional standards, and tax-related records for the periods specified under the Income Tax Act.

7. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, destruction, or alteration. These measures include secure file storage, access controls, and staff training on data protection obligations.

8. Your Rights

Under POPIA, you have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you;
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
• Request deletion of your information in certain circumstances;
• Object to the processing of your information;
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Information Officer (see section 10 below).

9. Cookies

Our website may use basic session cookies necessary for the operation of the site. We do not use tracking or advertising cookies. By continuing to use our website, you consent to the use of strictly necessary cookies.

10. Information Officer

Our designated Information Officer for POPIA purposes is:

11. Complaints

If you believe we have handled your personal information unlawfully, you may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa:

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any material changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.