POPIA Compliance Notice

1. Purpose of This Notice

This notice explains how Nico Technologies cc trading as SHOVIQ (“SHOVIQ”, “we”, “us” or “our”) processes personal information under the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”).

It applies to the SHOVIQ website, show-entry services, show-management applications, Animal Vault, catalogues, results services and related digital services. Read it with our Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions, and Refund & Cancellation Policy. Applicable law prevails if there is a conflict.

2. Who Is Responsible for Processing?

2.1 SHOVIQ as Responsible Party

SHOVIQ acts as the responsible party for information processed for its own purposes, including account administration, platform security, billing, support, product improvement, technical operations and Animal Vault functions where SHOVIQ determines the purpose and means of processing.

2.2 SHOVIQ as Operator

SHOVIQ may act as an operator on documented instructions from a show society, breed association, club, committee, venue or event organiser. This includes processing entries, producing catalogues, managing schedules, recording scores and displaying results.

2.3 Show Societies and Organisers

The host organiser may be a separate responsible party for information collected and used for its event. Its privacy notice, constitution, show rules or entry terms may also apply. An event-specific decision may need to be addressed directly to that organiser.

3. Personal Information We May Process

Depending on how you use SHOVIQ, we may process:

• Identity and account information: name, username, email address, mobile number, credentials, role and profile details.
• Organisation information: farm, stud, stable, club, society, training-centre or company details and authorised representatives.
• Animal and participation information: animal name, species, breed, sex, birth date, registration number, ring code, microchip or passport, pedigree, ownership, handler, rider, classes, entries, scores, placings and show history.
• Transaction information: invoices, amounts, payment status, refunds, references and limited metadata from payment providers. SHOVIQ does not intentionally store complete card numbers, security codes or online-banking passwords.
• Communications: support requests, correspondence, feedback, consent records and preferences.
• Technical information: IP address, browser, device, operating system, approximate location derived from technical data, timestamps, logs and security events.
• Cookie and preference information: cookie choices, analytics preferences and website interactions where permitted by law.

4. Purposes of Processing

We process information for specific and lawful purposes, including:

• Creating and maintaining accounts and profiles.
• Verifying identity, authority, eligibility and user roles.
• Maintaining Animal Vault records and relationships between animals, owners, representatives and entries.
• Processing entries, classes, schedules, catalogues, allocations, scorecards and results.
• Supporting invoicing, payment reconciliation, refunds and fraud prevention.
• Providing support, service notices and operational communications.
• Protecting the security, availability and integrity of the Platform.
• Improving features and measuring usage, subject to consent requirements.
• Meeting legal, regulatory, accounting, tax, court or law-enforcement obligations.
• Exercising legal rights and managing disputes.

5. Lawful Basis for Processing

Processing may be based on:

• Consent from the data subject or, where required, a competent person acting for a child.
• Performance of a contract or steps requested before entering a contract.
• Compliance with a legal obligation.
• Protection of a legitimate or vital interest.
• SHOVIQ’s or a third party’s legitimate interests where those interests do not unfairly prejudice the data subject.

6. Public Catalogues and Results

Show participation commonly requires a public sporting or agricultural record. Depending on the organiser’s rules, catalogues, programmes, scoreboards and results may include an animal’s name, species, breed, registration or ring number, owner or stud, handler or rider, class, score, placing and award.

SHOVIQ does not intentionally publish telephone numbers, identity numbers, payment information, residential addresses, passwords or private account credentials in public catalogues or results.

Where consent is required for publication, it is requested during registration or entry.

7. Children’s Personal Information

SHOVIQ does not knowingly allow a child to create an unsupervised account or enter a binding paid transaction without appropriate adult involvement.

Information about a junior handler, rider or participant must be submitted or approved by a parent, legal guardian or authorised adult. Where POPIA requires it, SHOVIQ obtains consent from a competent person and applies appropriate safeguards.

Processing is limited to what is reasonably needed for eligibility, safety, event administration, identification, results or legal compliance. A parent or guardian may request access, correction, restriction or deletion, subject to lawful retention requirements.

8. Sharing and Disclosure

Where lawful and necessary, information may be shared with:

• The relevant society, club, association, committee, venue, judges, stewards and authorised officials.
• Payment processors and financial institutions for payment, reconciliation, refund and fraud functions.
• Cloud, database, security, communications, analytics, SMS, email, WhatsApp, support and technology providers subject to suitable obligations.
• Professional advisers, auditors, insurers and legal representatives.
• Regulators, law-enforcement agencies, courts and authorities where required or permitted by law.
• A successor entity in a merger, restructuring or sale, subject to appropriate safeguards.

SHOVIQ does not sell personal information or share it for unrelated third-party marketing without a lawful basis and required consent.

9. Cross-Border Processing

Some providers may process information outside South Africa. SHOVIQ applies POPIA’s requirements before a cross-border transfer, including appropriate contractual, consent, adequacy, security and confidentiality safeguards.

10. Information Security

Reasonable technical and organisational safeguards may include:

• TLS/HTTPS encryption in transit.
• Role-based access and restricted administration.
• Authentication controls and audit records.
• Backups, monitoring, vulnerability management and incident response.
• Confidentiality obligations for personnel and providers.
• Retention and deletion controls proportionate to purpose and risk.

No online service can guarantee absolute security. Users must protect passwords and report suspected unauthorised access promptly.

11. Security Compromises

Where SHOVIQ reasonably believes that personal information has been accessed or acquired by an unauthorised person, we assess and respond under POPIA. Where required, the Information Regulator and affected data subjects are notified in the prescribed manner unless a lawful exception applies.

12. Retention

Information is retained only as long as necessary for its purpose, unless a longer period is required or permitted for legal, contractual, dispute, financial, audit, legitimate business or public-event recordkeeping purposes.

When information is no longer required, it is securely deleted, destroyed, anonymised or de-identified, subject to backups and lawful retention.

13. Data Subject Rights

Subject to POPIA and other applicable law, you may request:

• Confirmation of whether SHOVIQ holds your information.
• Access to or a description of information held about you.
• Correction, updating or deletion of inaccurate, excessive, outdated or unlawfully processed information.
• Restriction of or objection to processing in appropriate circumstances.
• Withdrawal of consent where processing relies on consent.
• An end to direct marketing.
• Review of certain automated decisions where applicable.
• Assistance lodging a complaint with the Information Regulator.

We may verify identity, charge a lawful fee or refuse a request where POPIA permits, explaining the reason where required.

14. Exercising Your Rights

Email shoviq@nicotechnologies.co.za with your name, registered email address, the nature of your request and a relevant account or show reference. Include only the proof of identity reasonably requested. Never send a password, full card number or unnecessary sensitive information.

We respond within the period required by applicable law and will explain any lawful delay or request for clarification.

15. Direct Marketing

Service communications needed to operate an account, entry, invoice, timetable or security control are not optional marketing.

Promotional messages are sent only where permitted by law and with consent where required. Each promotional message provides a practical opt-out. Contact shoviq@nicotechnologies.co.za to update a marketing preference.

16. Cookies and Analytics

Essential technologies provide security, form continuity and core functions. Optional tools, such as Google Analytics or Meta Pixel, activate only according to applicable law and the choices made through SHOVIQ’s cookie controls.

You may reopen cookie preferences from the website footer. Disabling essential technologies may prevent parts of an application from working.

17. Accuracy and User Responsibilities

Users must provide accurate, current and complete information. A person submitting information about an owner, handler, representative or child confirms authority to do so lawfully.

Do not submit unnecessary identity documents, medical information, veterinary records or sensitive information unless an authorised and secure process specifically requires it.

18. Complaints

Contact the SHOVIQ Information Officer first so that the matter can be investigated.

You may also complain to the South African Information Regulator:

• Website: inforegulator.org.za
• Email: inforegulator@justice.gov.za
• Postal address: PO Box 31533, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2017, South Africa

Verify current regulator details on its official website.

19. Changes to This Notice

This notice may change with law, technology, services or processing practices. The latest version is published on this website. Material changes are communicated prominently where reasonably required.

20. Contact Details

• Responsible organisation: Nico Technologies cc trading as SHOVIQ
• Privacy and Information Officer: shoviq@nicotechnologies.co.za
• Legal enquiries: shoviq@nicotechnologies.co.za
• General support: shoviq@nicotechnologies.co.za
• Website: www.shoviq.co.za