Legal & Compliance

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 19 September 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how the Makana United Civic Movement ("MUCM", "the Movement", "we", "us") collects, uses, stores, and protects personal information, in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa.

1. Who We Are

The responsible party for the processing of your personal information is:

• Name: Makana United Civic Movement (MUCM)
• Legal status: Non-profit organisation registered in terms of the Non-Profit Organisations Act 71 of 1997
• Business Registration Number: 2026 / 173788 / 08
• Physical address: 16 Bathurst Street / 67 African Street, Makhanda, Eastern Cape
• Email: mucm26@gmail.com
• Phone: +27 72 961 6361

2. What Information We Collect

We collect personal information only when you voluntarily provide it. This happens when you:

• Complete the MUCM membership registration form
• Contact us by email, phone, or WhatsApp
• Engage with our social media pages
• Attend a Ward Community Assembly or event

The information we collect may include:

• Your full name (first names and surname)
• Your email address
• Your mobile phone number
• Your ID number
• Your residential address
• Your ward number and voting station
• Whether you have voted before (for statistical purposes)
• Your electronic signature (typed name) and consent

3. Why We Collect Your Information

We collect and process your personal information for the following lawful purposes:

• Membership administration — to recognise you as a member of the Movement and keep an accurate register
• Ward-level communication — to connect you with your Ward Community Assembly and inform you of meetings and activities
• Election coordination — to communicate with residents ahead of the local government elections on 4 November 2026
• Community programmes — to inform you about MUCM's projects, initiatives, and community work
• Legal compliance — to comply with applicable South African laws and regulations

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under POPIA, we must have a lawful basis to process your personal information. The bases we rely on are:

• Consent — you have given us explicit, informed consent by ticking the consent checkbox on the membership form
• Legitimate interest — processing is necessary for the legitimate interests of a non-profit civic movement serving the community of Makhanda
• Legal obligation — where processing is required by law

5. How We Store and Protect Your Information

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

• Membership submissions are transmitted securely and delivered to a protected MUCM email account accessible only to authorised representatives
• Access to member records is limited to authorised MUCM representatives on a need-to-know basis
• We do not store your information on public servers or in publicly accessible files
• We may retain records for the duration of your membership and for a reasonable period thereafter for legal and accountability purposes

6. Who We Share Your Information With

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information.

We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

• Within the Movement — with the MUCM Board, ward councillors, and committee members who need it to serve you
• With service providers — where necessary, we use trusted third-party service providers to process submissions on our behalf. These providers are obliged to protect your data and use it only for the purposes we specify.
• With the IEC or other authorities — only if legally required
• With your explicit consent — when you have asked us to

7. Your Rights Under POPIA

You have the following rights in relation to your personal information:

• Right to access — you may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Right to correction — you may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to deletion — you may ask us to delete your information, subject to legal retention requirements
• Right to object — you may object to the processing of your information in certain circumstances
• Right to withdraw consent — you may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us
• Right to lodge a complaint — you may complain to the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe your rights have been infringed

How to exercise your rights

Send a written request to mucm26@gmail.com. We will respond within 30 days.

8. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website does not use tracking cookies or third-party analytics at this time. If this changes in future, we will update this policy and, where required, ask for your consent.

The website does embed a Facebook feed. When you interact with it, Facebook's own privacy policy applies. We recommend reviewing Facebook's privacy settings if you have concerns.

9. Children's Privacy

MUCM's membership is open to all residents of Makhanda. Where a member is under the age of 18, we require the consent of a parent or legal guardian for the processing of their personal information.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The date at the top of this page shows when it was last revised. We encourage you to review it periodically.

11. Complaints and Enquiries

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about how we handle your personal information, please contact us first:

If you are not satisfied

You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa:

• Website: inforegulator.org.za
• Email: complaints.IR@justice.gov.za
• Phone: 010 023 5200

This Privacy Policy applies to all personal information processed by MUCM, including through this website, the membership registration form, and any direct communication between MUCM and residents of Makhanda.