Privacy before guidance.

Last updated: May 2026

Vela Technologies PTY LTD is building WhatsApp-native school-to-career guidance for South African learners. This policy explains how we handle personal information on the website, waitlist and future WhatsApp guidance flow.

1. Information We Collect

The current website waitlist asks for an email address and role. When the WhatsApp product is live, Vela may ask learners for information needed to prepare a roadmap, including province, school stage, subject marks, pathway preferences, funding context and consent records.

2. Consent Comes First

Vela will not process learner marks or guidance information without affirmative consent. Learners, parents or guardians must understand what information is requested and why before the product stores or uses it.

3. How We Use Information

We use information to send launch updates, prepare guidance roadmaps, match learners to verified pathways and funding options, improve the service, and communicate important product or deadline reminders.

4. POPIA Commitments

Vela is designed around the Protection of Personal Information Act. We keep personal information limited to what guidance requires, use country-aware compliance rules, avoid plain-text phone number storage, and restrict learner-facing recommendations to source-backed data.

5. Sharing Information

We do not sell learner personal information. We may work with schools, funders, service providers or compliance advisors where needed to operate Vela, but access must be limited to the purpose of providing or improving guidance.

6. Retention And Security

We keep information only for as long as needed for guidance, operational records, legal duties or consented follow-up. Vela uses least-privilege access, avoids personal information in logs, and treats incorrect guidance or careless data handling as a serious production risk.

7. Your Choices

You may ask to access, correct or remove personal information where the law allows. You may also leave the waitlist at any time by emailing Vela.

8. Contact

Privacy questions and waitlist changes can be sent to hello@velaguide.co.za.