Last updated: 10 June 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how George Mienie and this website, georgemienie.co.za, collect, use, disclose, store and protect personal information. It is written for South African privacy requirements, including the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (POPIA), and is intended to protect the rights of visitors, subscribers, contacts and George Mienie.
By using this website, submitting information through a form, subscribing to updates, contacting George Mienie, or interacting with the website, you acknowledge that your personal information may be processed as described in this Policy.
1. Responsible party
For purposes of POPIA, the responsible party is George Mienie, operating this personal website and related communications under georgemienie.co.za.
Privacy and personal information requests may be submitted through the contact page on this website. If a dedicated privacy or information officer email address is published on the website in future, requests may also be sent there.
2. Personal information we may collect
Depending on how you use the website, we may collect:
- identity and contact information, such as your name, email address, telephone number, organisation and role;
- message content you submit through contact, speaking, media, mentorship or enquiry forms;
- subscription preferences and communication history;
- technical information, such as IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, referring URLs, dates and times of visits, approximate location and cookie identifiers;
- security information needed to protect the website, prevent spam, detect abuse and investigate unauthorised activity;
- public social media information when you interact with George Mienie through social platforms; and
- any other information you choose to provide voluntarily.
We do not intentionally collect special personal information, information about children, or unnecessary sensitive information through this website. Please do not submit sensitive personal information unless it is specifically required for your enquiry.
3. How we collect personal information
We collect personal information directly from you when you complete a form, subscribe, send an enquiry, request a speaking engagement, comment, correspond with us or otherwise provide information. We may also collect technical and usage information automatically through cookies, analytics tools, hosting logs, security tools and similar technologies.
4. Why we process personal information
We process personal information for legitimate, specific and lawful purposes, including to:
- respond to enquiries, messages, speaking requests, media requests and collaboration opportunities;
- send updates or communications where you have subscribed or where the law allows us to do so;
- manage relationships with readers, contacts, event organisers, media, partners and service providers;
- operate, maintain, secure, improve and analyse the website;
- prevent spam, fraud, abuse, unauthorised access and other harmful activity;
- protect George Mienie’s rights, reputation, content, intellectual property, security and legal interests;
- comply with legal, regulatory, accounting, tax, reporting or dispute-resolution obligations; and
- keep records reasonably required for evidence, accountability, website administration and lawful business purposes.
5. Legal grounds for processing
We process personal information where one or more lawful grounds apply, including your consent, performance of a contract or pre-contractual request, compliance with a legal obligation, protection of a legitimate interest, or pursuing the legitimate interests of George Mienie or a third party in a lawful and reasonable manner.
6. Cookies and analytics
The website may use cookies, pixels, analytics scripts, embedded media and similar technologies to operate the site, remember preferences, measure performance, understand traffic, protect against abuse and improve content. Some cookies are necessary for the website to function. Others may be used for analytics or embedded third-party services.
You can usually control cookies through your browser settings. Blocking cookies may affect how parts of the website function.
7. Sharing personal information
We do not sell personal information. We may share personal information only where reasonably necessary with:
- website hosting, security, analytics, email, form, backup, IT and professional service providers;
- event organisers, media contacts or partners where needed to respond to a request you made;
- regulators, law enforcement, courts, legal advisers or other authorities where required or permitted by law;
- parties involved in a dispute, claim, investigation, legal process or enforcement of rights; and
- successors or service providers involved in restructuring, migration, maintenance or administration of the website or related operations.
Where third parties process personal information on our behalf, we require them to process it only for authorised purposes and to apply reasonable confidentiality and security safeguards.
8. International transfers
Some service providers, platforms, plugins, analytics providers, email tools, social media platforms or hosting infrastructure may process information outside South Africa. Where personal information is transferred cross-border, we take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer is lawful and that appropriate safeguards or lawful transfer grounds apply.
9. Security
We take reasonable, appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration and destruction. These measures may include access controls, secure hosting, backups, malware and spam protection, software updates, monitoring and administrative safeguards.
No website, email system or internet transmission is completely secure. You use the website and submit information at your own risk, while we remain committed to applying reasonable safeguards required by law.
10. Retention
We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, for a compatible lawful purpose, or as required or permitted by law. Retention periods may vary depending on the nature of the information, legal obligations, recordkeeping needs, dispute risks, security requirements and legitimate operational needs.
When personal information is no longer required, we will delete, destroy, de-identify or archive it where appropriate and lawful.
11. Direct marketing and communications
We may send communications where you have requested them, subscribed to them, consented to them, or where the law otherwise allows. You may opt out of non-essential direct marketing at any time by using the unsubscribe method provided or by contacting us through the website.
Operational, legal, security or administrative messages may still be sent where necessary.
12. Your rights
Subject to POPIA and other applicable laws, you may have the right to:
- ask whether we hold personal information about you;
- request access to your personal information;
- request correction or deletion of inaccurate, irrelevant, excessive, outdated, incomplete, misleading or unlawfully obtained information;
- object to processing in certain circumstances;
- withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
- object to direct marketing;
- request reasons for certain automated decisions, where applicable; and
- submit a complaint to the Information Regulator.
We may need to verify your identity before responding to a request. We may refuse or limit a request where the law allows or requires us to do so, including where access would affect another person’s rights, reveal confidential information, compromise security, prejudice legal proceedings or interfere with legitimate rights and obligations.
13. Complaints to the Information Regulator
If you believe your personal information has been processed unlawfully, you may contact us first so that we can try to resolve the issue. You also have the right to complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa).
Information Regulator contact details published by the Regulator include: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za, telephone 010 023 5200, toll free 0800 017 160, and Woodmead North Office Park, 54 Maxwell Drive, Woodmead, Johannesburg, 2191.
14. Third-party websites and social media
This website may link to third-party websites, social media platforms, embedded videos, podcasts, articles or external services. Those third parties are responsible for their own privacy practices, terms and security. We are not responsible for how third parties process personal information once you leave this website or interact with their platforms.
15. Website content, rights and misuse
All website content, writing, design, branding, images, videos and other materials remain protected by applicable intellectual property and other laws unless stated otherwise. You may not use the website to send unlawful, harmful, defamatory, abusive, misleading, automated, spam, scraping, security-testing or unauthorised communications or activity.
We may process and retain information, including technical logs and correspondence, where reasonably necessary to investigate misuse, protect security, enforce rights, defend claims, comply with law, or protect George Mienie, the website, users and third parties.
16. Changes to this Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The latest version published on this page applies from the date shown above. Material changes may be highlighted on the website where appropriate.
17. Contact
For privacy requests, questions or objections, please contact George Mienie through the contact page on this website.