VMC CONSULTANCY (PTY) LTD PRIVACY POLICY

Our website address:

Our website address is: https://vmcconsultancy.com.

1. Introduction
VMC Consultancy (PTY) LTD ("VMC Consultancy", "VMC", "we", "us" or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information entrusted to us. VMC Consultancy is a South African consulting, education and knowledge organisation that provides psychology-informed, education-focused services, resources, training, learning opportunities and related products. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose, protect and otherwise process personal information when you interact with VMC Consultancy. This policy is intended to apply across the VMC Consultancy digital ecosystem, including our websites, subdomains, online platforms, learning environments, stores and related digital services. The VMC Consultancy ecosystem currently includes:

  • VMC Consultancy – our primary corporate and consulting platform; 
  • VMC Consultancy Learning Hub – our online learning and development platform; 
  • Shaped by Psychology – our psychology-informed knowledge and content platform; 
  • Shaped by Psychology Shop – our online marketplace for educational resources and products; 
  • The Founder platform – our founder's professional, research, publishing and public-information platform; and 
  • Afriwesternism – our intellectual and philosophical framework and related content platform. 

  • The ecosystem may expand in the future. This Privacy Policy will apply to additional VMC Consultancy websites, platforms, products or services unless a separate privacy notice expressly applies. The primary legislation governing the processing of personal information by VMC Consultancy in South Africa is the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA), together with applicable regulations and other relevant legislation. Where other privacy or data-protection laws apply because of the location of a user, customer or learner, VMC Consultancy will consider those requirements where applicable.

2. Who We Are
The responsible party for personal information processed by VMC Consultancy is: VMC Consultancy (PTY) LTD Registration Number: 2011/127390/07
Location: Wilgeheuwel, Johannesburg, South Africa
Telephone: +27 71 925 3666
General Email: info@vmcconsultancy.com
Information Officer: Thembelihle Gugulabasha Ndlovu
Privacy/Data Protection Email: info@vmcconsultancy.com
Physical Address: Wilgeheuwel, Johannesburg, South Africa
3. Scope of This Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy applies to personal information collected or processed through:

  • VMC Consultancy websites; 
  • VMC Consultancy subdomains; 
  • the VMC Consultancy Learning Hub; 
  • the Shaped by Psychology website; 
  • the Shaped by Psychology Shop; 
  • online forms; 
  • course registrations; 
  • customer accounts; 
  • learner accounts; 
  • product purchases; 
  • newsletter subscriptions; 
  • enquiries; 
  • consultations; 
  • educational programmes; 
  • research-related activities; 
  • digital downloads; 
  • communications with VMC Consultancy; 
  • social-media interactions where applicable; and 
  • other digital services operated by or on behalf of VMC Consultancy. 
  • It applies whether you interact with us as a: 
  • visitor; 
  • customer; 
  • learner; 
  • parent or guardian; 
  • educator; 
  • school representative; 
  • professional; 
  • consultant; 
  • research participant; 
  • client; 
  • subscriber; 
  • partner; 
  • supplier; 
  • prospective customer; or 
  • other person interacting with VMC Consultancy.
4. What Personal Data We Collect and Why We Collect It
The personal information we collect depends on how you interact with VMC Consultancy. We seek to collect information that is adequate, relevant and reasonably necessary for a legitimate purpose.
4.1. Information you provide directly
Depending on the service, we may collect:

  • name and surname; 
  • preferred name; 
  • email address; 
  • telephone or mobile number; 
  • physical or postal address; 
  • organisation, school or employer; 
  • job title or professional role; 
  • username; 
  • account information; 
  • passwords or authentication information in appropriately protected form; 
  • information submitted through contact forms; 
  • information submitted through registration forms; 
  • information relating to purchases; 
  • billing and transaction information; 
  • communications with VMC Consultancy; 
  • feedback; 
  • survey responses; 
  • enquiries; 
  • information submitted as part of a course or programme; 
  • information necessary to provide a requested service; and 
  • other information you voluntarily provide.
4.2. Information collected through the Learning Hub
The VMC Consultancy Learning Hub is an online learning environment powered by Moodle. The Learning Hub currently provides various educational categories including African Psychology, Technology of Education, Psychology of Education as well as Research and Methodology. Depending on how you use the Learning Hub, we may process: 

  • account and registration information; 
  • learner name; 
  • username; 
  • email address; 
  • parent or guardian information where applicable; 
  • course enrolment; 
  • course participation; 
  • course progress; 
  • assessment and activity results; 
  • submissions; 
  • completion records; 
  • certificates; 
  • learning-related communications; 
  • login and access information; 
  • technical information; 
  • records necessary to administer courses; and 
  • information generated through use of the Learning Hub. 
We use this information to provide, administer, secure and improve educational services. 
Payment information may be processed by third-party payment providers such as PayPal. VMC Consultancy will not unnecessarily retain complete payment-card information where the payment provider processes such information directly. The specific payment providers used by the Learning Hub may change over time.
4.3. Information collected through the Shop
The Shaped by Psychology Shop is an online marketplace operated as part of the VMC Consultancy ecosystem. The Shop currently provides customer-account functionality, order history, downloadable products and newsletter registration. It is powered by AbanteCart. When you use the Shop, we may process:

  • customer account information; 
  • name; 
  • email address;
  • contact information; 
  • billing information; 
  • delivery information where physical products are offered; 
  • order information; 
  • products purchased; 
  • transaction information; 
  • download or access information; 
  • customer-service communications;
  • newsletter subscription information; and 
  • information necessary to prevent fraud and protect transactions. 
Payment information may be processed by third-party payment providers such as PayPal. VMC Consultancy will not unnecessarily retain complete payment-card information where the payment provider processes such information directly. The specific payment providers used by the Shop may change over time.
4.4. Website and technical information
When you visit our websites, certain information may automatically be processed, including:

  • IP address; 
  • browser type; 
  • operating system; 
  • device type; 
  • referring website; 
  • pages visited; 
  • date and time of access; 
  • general interaction information; 
  • technical logs; 
  • security information; and 
  • approximate location derived from technical information where applicable. 
This information may be used for website functionality, security, troubleshooting, analytics and service improvement.
4.5. Why we collect personal information
We may process personal information to:

  • provide products and services; 
  • administer accounts; 
  • provide learning opportunities; 
  • administer courses; 
  • process orders; 
  • provide digital downloads; 
  • communicate with customers and users; 
  • respond to enquiries; 
  • provide customer support; 
  • process registrations; 
  • maintain appropriate records; 
  • improve websites and services; 
  • understand user needs; 
  • conduct legitimate business administration; 
  • maintain security; 
  • prevent fraud and abuse; 
  • conduct research and evaluation where lawful and appropriate; 
  • comply with legal obligations; 
  • establish, exercise or defend legal rights; 
  • send requested communications; 
  • conduct lawful direct marketing; and 
  • perform other purposes reasonably connected to the purpose for which the information was collected.
5. Comments
Where a VMC Consultancy website or platform permits comments, we may collect the information submitted through the comment system. Depending on the technology used, this may include:

  • name; 
  • email address; 
  • comment content; 
  • IP address; 
  • browser information; and 
  • other technical information necessary for spam prevention and security. 
Comments may be publicly visible. You should therefore avoid including confidential, sensitive or unnecessary personal information in publicly visible comments. VMC Consultancy may moderate, remove or decline comments that are unlawful, defamatory, discriminatory, abusive, misleading, invasive of privacy or otherwise inappropriate
6. Media
Where our websites or platforms allow users to upload photographs, videos, documents or other media, we may process the information contained in those files. Users should avoid uploading unnecessary personal or sensitive information. You should also ensure that you have the necessary authority or permission to upload photographs, recordings or other material involving another person. Where media involves children or learners, appropriate parental, guardian or institutional permissions should be obtained where required.
7. Contact Forms
Information submitted through VMC Consultancy contact forms may include:

  • name; 
  • email address; 
  • telephone number; 
  • organisation; 
  • subject of enquiry; 
  • message; and 
  • any other information voluntarily provided. 
We use this information to respond to enquiries, provide requested information, provide services and maintain appropriate business records. Please do not submit sensitive personal information through a general contact form unless it is specifically requested and necessary for the relevant service.
8. Cookies
VMC Consultancy websites may use cookies and similar technologies. Our main website currently provides cookie controls that distinguish between necessary, functional, analytical, advertising and unclassified cookies. Cookies may be used to:

  • operate websites; 
  • maintain security; 
  • remember preferences; 
  • support login functionality; 
  • maintain sessions; 
  • analyse website usage; 
  • improve website performance; 
  • support third-party functionality; 
  • measure advertising effectiveness where applicable; and 
  • provide other website functions.
8.1. Necessary cookies
Necessary cookies support essential website functionality and may be required for services such as secure login, session management and cookie-preference management.
8.2. Functional cookies
Functional cookies may support features such as content sharing, feedback mechanisms and third-party tools.
8.3 Analytical cookies
Analytical cookies may collect information about website interactions, such as visitor numbers, traffic sources and general usage patterns.
8.4 Advertising cookies
Where advertising technologies are used, advertising cookies may be used to measure campaigns or provide advertising-related functionality. VMC Consultancy will not assume that a particular cookie is necessary merely because it is technically available. Cookies will be reviewed and classified according to their actual purpose. You may control certain cookies through our cookie-consent mechanism or your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.
9. Cookie Consent and Preference Management
Where appropriate, VMC Consultancy uses a cookie-consent management system to allow visitors to accept, reject or customise categories of cookies. Our current website uses CookieAdmin for cookie-consent management. The service provides functionality for cookie categorisation, consent preferences and consent records. Cookie technologies and providers may change as our websites develop.
10. Embedded Content From Other Websites
Our websites and platforms may contain embedded content or links from third-party services, including:

  • YouTube; 
  • social-media platforms; 
  • maps; 
  • online forms; 
  • payment services; 
  • learning tools; 
  • documents; 
  • external videos; 
  • analytics services; and 
  • other third-party technologies. 
Embedded content may interact with the third-party provider as though you had visited that provider's website directly. Those providers may collect information, use cookies or process personal information according to their own privacy policies. VMC Consultancy does not control the privacy practices of third-party websites.
11. Analytics
VMC Consultancy may use analytics tools to understand how visitors interact with our websites and services. Analytics may help us understand:

  • visitor numbers; 
  • traffic sources; 
  • pages viewed; 
  • general user behaviour; 
  • device types; 
  • technical performance; 
  • website engagement; and 
  • areas requiring improvement. 
Where third-party analytics services are used, those providers may process information according to their own privacy policies and contractual arrangements. The specific analytics providers used across the VMC ecosystem may vary by website and may change over time.
12. How We Use Personal Information
VMC Consultancy uses personal information for lawful and legitimate purposes connected to our activities. These purposes may include:

Service delivery

Providing consulting, educational, training, research, learning and related services.

Learning and development

Administering courses, learner accounts, participation, assessments, progress and completion records.

Ecommerce

Processing orders, payments, downloads, customer accounts and support requests.

Communication

Responding to enquiries and communicating with customers, learners, parents, guardians, educators, schools and partners.

Security

Protecting websites, platforms, accounts, users and systems.

Improvement

Understanding how our products, resources and services are used so that we can improve them.

Administration

Maintaining appropriate records and performing legitimate business administration.

Legal compliance

Meeting applicable legal, regulatory, accounting, tax and other obligations.

Marketing

Conducting lawful direct marketing where permitted and where appropriate consent or another lawful basis exists.

13. Lawful Basis for Processing
VMC Consultancy may process personal information where:

  • you have provided consent; 
  • processing is necessary to provide a service or perform an agreement; 
  • processing is necessary to comply with a legal obligation; 
  • processing protects a legitimate interest or right; 
  • processing is necessary to protect a person's legitimate interests; or 
  • another lawful basis recognised under applicable law applies. 
Where consent is relied upon, you may withdraw your consent where legally applicable. Withdrawal of consent does not necessarily make earlier processing unlawful.
14. Children's and Learners' Personal Information
VMC Consultancy recognises that children require particular protection when their personal information is processed. This is especially relevant because VMC Consultancy provides educational resources, children's resources and online learning opportunities.
14.1. Learning Hub registration
Where a learner is under 18, registration may require involvement, registration or authorisation by a parent or legal guardian, depending on the service and applicable legal requirements. We may collect information about a learner that is reasonably necessary to:

  • create and administer an account; 
  • provide educational services; 
  • administer course participation; 
  • monitor learning progress; 
  • record completion; 
  • issue certificates; 
  • communicate with the learner's parent or guardian where appropriate; and 
  • maintain educational records.
14.2. Children's information
VMC Consultancy will seek to minimise the amount of personal information collected from children. We will not intentionally encourage children to provide unnecessary personal or special personal information through public-facing forms. Where processing children's personal information requires parental or guardian consent, authorisation or additional safeguards under applicable law, VMC Consultancy will take appropriate steps to meet those requirements. POPIA contains specific requirements relating to children's personal information and the Information Regulator provides dedicated guidance and procedures concerning its processing.
14.3. Children's products and resources
The fact that a product is designed for children does not necessarily mean that the child must provide personal information to use it. Where possible, children's educational products may be used without requiring the child to create an individual online account. Where a service requires an account or personal information, the relevant registration requirements will apply.
15. Special Personal Information
VMC Consultancy does not generally require special personal information for ordinary website browsing, general enquiries or routine purchases. Special personal information may include information relating to matters such as:

  • health; 
  • biometric information; 
  • religious or philosophical beliefs; 
  • political opinions; 
  • criminal behaviour; and 
  • other categories protected under applicable law. 
Because VMC Consultancy operates in education, psychology-informed content, diversity and inclusion, some services may potentially involve information of a sensitive nature. Where such information is genuinely necessary, VMC Consultancy will only process it where an appropriate lawful basis exists and applicable safeguards are in place. Users should not voluntarily submit sensitive personal information through general contact forms unless requested for a legitimate purpose.
16. Who We Share Your Data With
VMC Consultancy does not sell personal information as a business practice. We may share personal information where reasonably necessary with:

  • authorised VMC Consultancy personnel; 
  • consultants and contractors; 
  • technology providers; 
  • website hosting providers; 
  • Moodle/Learning Management System providers; 
  • ecommerce platform providers; 
  • payment processors; 
  • email and communication providers; 
  • analytics providers; 
  • cybersecurity providers; 
  • cloud-storage providers; 
  • professional advisers; 
  • accountants; 
  • auditors; 
  • legal advisers; 
  • government authorities; 
  • regulatory authorities; 
  • business partners where necessary to provide a requested service; and 
  • other persons where disclosure is authorised or required by law. 
We seek to ensure that third parties processing personal information on our behalf are subject to appropriate confidentiality, security and data-processing obligations.
17. Third-Party Service Providers
The VMC Consultancy ecosystem relies on technology providers to operate efficiently. These may include providers of:

  • website hosting; 
  • Moodle/Learning Management Systems; 
  • ecommerce systems; 
  • payment processing; 
  • cloud storage; 
  • email; 
  • newsletters; 
  • analytics; 
  • cybersecurity; 
  • cookie management; 
  • customer support; 
  • communications; 
  • document storage; and 
  • other business infrastructure. 
The specific providers may change over time. For example, the Learning Hub currently operates on Moodle, while the Shaped by Psychology Shop currently operates on AbanteCart. Where a provider acts as an operator/service provider for VMC Consultancy, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the provider processes personal information only for authorised purposes and maintains appropriate safeguards.
18. Payment Information
Where you purchase products or services from VMC Consultancy, payment information may be processed by a third-party payment provider. VMC Consultancy may receive transaction information necessary to confirm and administer the transaction, such as:

  • purchaser name; 
  • transaction reference; 
  • amount; 
  • date; 
  • product purchased; 
  • payment status; and 
  • limited payment-related information. 
Complete payment-card information should not ordinarily be submitted directly to VMC Consultancy unless specifically required through a secure payment process. The payment providers available to customers may change over time.
19. Newsletter and Marketing Communications
The Shaped by Psychology Shop currently provides a newsletter subscription facility. Where you subscribe to a VMC Consultancy newsletter or marketing communication, we may use your contact information to send:

  • newsletters; 
  • product announcements; 
  • educational resources; 
  • offers; 
  • events; 
  • programmes; 
  • relevant VMC Consultancy updates; and 
  • other communications permitted by applicable law. 
We will comply with applicable POPIA requirements concerning direct marketing. You may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time using the available unsubscribe mechanism or by contacting us. South Africa's Information Regulator states that unsolicited electronic direct marketing generally requires consent, subject to the applicable statutory exceptions.
20. Direct Marketing
VMC Consultancy may conduct direct marketing through lawful channels, including:

  • email; 
  • SMS; 
  • telephone; 
  • messaging services; 
  • newsletters; 
  • digital communications; and 
  • other permitted channels. 
We will not use personal information for direct marketing in a manner that is unlawful under POPIA. Where consent is required, we will obtain appropriate consent. We will provide an appropriate means of opting out where required. We will respect a valid request to stop direct marketing. Where children's information is involved, additional restrictions and safeguards apply.
21. How Long We Retain Your Data
VMC Consultancy retains personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, unless a longer period is required or permitted by law. Retention may depend on:

  • the type of information; 
  • the purpose of processing; 
  • contractual obligations; 
  • accounting and tax requirements; 
  • legal obligations; 
  • educational record requirements; 
  • dispute resolution; 
  • security requirements; 
  • legitimate business requirements; and 
  • other applicable legal requirements. 
We will take reasonable steps to delete, destroy or anonymise personal information when it is no longer reasonably required.
21.1. Learning Hub retention
The Moodle Learning Hub currently contains a data-retention interface. At the time this Privacy Policy was prepared, the publicly visible default retention summary did not specify retention periods for several categories, including site, users, courses and activity modules. VMC Consultancy will therefore establish and document appropriate retention periods for Learning Hub records as part of its ongoing privacy-compliance programme. Learning Hub retention schedule: is for 5 years
22. What Rights You Have Over Your Data
Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:

  • request access to personal information we hold about you; 
  • request correction of inaccurate information; 
  • request deletion where legally permissible; 
  • object to certain processing; 
  • object to direct marketing; 
  • withdraw consent where processing is based on consent; 
  • request information about the processing of your personal information; 
  • lodge a complaint about the handling of your personal information; and 
  • exercise other rights provided under applicable law. 
We may need to verify your identity before processing a request. Some rights may be limited by legal or regulatory obligations. For example, VMC Consultancy may be required to retain information for tax, accounting, legal, regulatory, security or other legitimate purposes.
23. Access, Correction and Deletion Requests
Requests concerning personal information should be directed to:

Information Officer

VMC Consultancy (PTY) LTD 

Email: info@vmcconsultancy.com

The request should identify:

  • your name; 
  • contact details; 
  • the nature of the request; 
  • the information or account concerned; and 
  • any additional information reasonably necessary to identify the record. 
Where appropriate, VMC Consultancy may request proof of identity or authority before releasing, correcting or deleting personal information.
24. Where We Send Your Data
Personal information may be processed in South Africa or in other countries. This may occur where VMC Consultancy uses:

  • cloud services; 
  • website hosting; 
  • email services; 
  • analytics; 
  • payment providers; 
  • ecommerce platforms; 
  • Learning Management Systems; 
  • cybersecurity services; or 
  • other third-party infrastructure. 
We will take reasonable steps to ensure that cross-border processing is conducted in accordance with applicable law.
25. International Transfers of Personal Information
VMC Consultancy intends to serve users and organisations beyond South Africa. Where personal information is transferred to or processed in another country, VMC Consultancy will consider the requirements applicable to cross-border transfers under POPIA and other relevant law. Depending on the circumstances, appropriate safeguards may include:

  • contractual protections; 
  • an adequate level of protection in the receiving jurisdiction; 
  • consent where legally appropriate; 
  • another lawful basis recognised by law; or 
  • other safeguards required by applicable legislation. 
The countries in which particular third-party providers process data may change as providers and infrastructure change.
26. What Third Parties We Receive Data From
VMC Consultancy may receive personal information from third parties, including:

  • parents or guardians; 
  • schools; 
  • educational institutions; 
  • employers; 
  • organisations; 
  • authorised representatives; 
  • payment providers; 
  • technology providers; 
  • service providers; 
  • professional advisers; and 
  • publicly available sources where lawful. 
Examples include a parent registering a learner for an educational service or an organisation providing participant information for a programme. Where personal information is received from another person, VMC Consultancy will process it only where there is an appropriate lawful basis.
27. Automated Decision-Making and Profiling
VMC Consultancy does not currently intend to make significant decisions about individuals solely through automated decision-making without appropriate human involvement. We may use automated systems for routine purposes such as:

  • spam detection; 
  • security monitoring; 
  • website analytics; 
  • course administration; 
  • system notifications; 
  • account management; 
  • content organisation; 
  • technical diagnostics; and 
  • similar administrative functions. 
If VMC Consultancy introduces automated decision-making or profiling that has legal or similarly significant effects on individuals, we will assess the applicable legal requirements and implement appropriate safeguards.
28. How We Protect Your Data
VMC Consultancy takes reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against:

  • unauthorised access; 
  • loss; 
  • misuse; 
  • alteration; 
  • destruction; 
  • accidental disclosure; 
  • unlawful processing; and 
  • other security compromises. 
Depending on the circumstances, safeguards may include:

  • access controls; 
  • passwords; 
  • authentication; 
  • user permissions; 
  • secure hosting; 
  • software updates; 
  • backups; 
  • security monitoring; 
  • malware protection; 
  • staff awareness; 
  • confidentiality obligations; 
  • contractual controls; 
  • secure disposal; and 
  • incident-response procedures. 
No electronic system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Users should protect their passwords and account credentials and should not share them with other people.
29. What Data Breach Procedures We Have in Place
VMC Consultancy maintains procedures for responding to actual or suspected security compromises. A security compromise may include:

  • unauthorised access; 
  • unauthorised disclosure; 
  • accidental disclosure; 
  • loss of personal information; 
  • theft; 
  • destruction; 
  • cyberattacks; 
  • ransomware; 
  • phishing; 
  • compromised accounts; or 
  • other incidents affecting the confidentiality, integrity or security of personal information. 
Where a security compromise occurs, VMC Consultancy will:

  1. identify and contain the incident; 
  2. investigate its nature and scope; 
  3. assess the personal information involved; 
  4. identify potentially affected individuals; 
  5. take reasonable steps to mitigate potential harm; 
  6. secure affected systems; 
  7. document the incident; 
  8. notify the Information Regulator where required; and 
  9. notify affected data subjects where required. 
POPIA requires responsible parties to notify the Information Regulator and affected data subjects as soon as reasonably possible after discovering a security compromise, subject to the statutory requirements. The Information Regulator currently provides an eServices process for security-compromise notifications.
30. Research, Surveys and Evaluation
Because VMC Consultancy provides research, evaluation, educational and psychology-informed services, certain projects may involve collecting information from participants. Where research or evaluation involves personal information, VMC Consultancy will:

  • identify the purpose of the processing; 
  • collect only reasonably necessary information; 
  • provide appropriate information to participants; 
  • use appropriate consent processes where required; 
  • protect participant information; 
  • limit access to authorised persons; and 
  • retain or dispose of information according to the applicable requirements. 
Where research involves children or special personal information, additional legal, ethical or institutional requirements may apply. A separate research privacy notice or consent form may be provided for specific projects.
31. Educational and Psychological Information
VMC Consultancy produces psychology-informed and education-focused content and services. The fact that VMC Consultancy provides psychology-informed resources does not mean that ordinary website visitors are required to disclose psychological, medical or other sensitive information. Where an educational, research or consultancy service genuinely requires sensitive information, VMC Consultancy will provide appropriate information about the purpose of collecting it and apply the safeguards required by law. Information provided for educational or informational purposes should not automatically be interpreted as a clinical or medical record.
32. Publicly Available Information and User-Generated Content
Certain information may become publicly visible where a user voluntarily publishes it through a public VMC Consultancy platform. Examples may include:

  • comments; 
  • testimonials; 
  • reviews; 
  • publicly displayed usernames; 
  • social-media interactions; or 
  • other information intentionally submitted for public display. 
Users should consider the privacy implications before publishing information publicly. VMC Consultancy may moderate or remove public content where appropriate.
33. Third-Party Websites and Social Media
VMC Consultancy may maintain or link to social-media pages and other third-party websites. When you interact with those platforms, the relevant third party may collect personal information independently from VMC Consultancy. Their own privacy policies and terms may apply. VMC Consultancy is not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites that we do not control.
34. Information Security Responsibilities of Users
Users are expected to take reasonable steps to protect their own personal information. You should:

  • use strong passwords; 
  • keep passwords confidential; 
  • avoid sharing account credentials; 
  • log out of shared devices; 
  • keep devices updated; 
  • avoid submitting unnecessary sensitive information; 
  • be cautious of phishing communications; and 
  • notify VMC Consultancy if you believe your account has been compromised.
35. Complaints
If you believe that VMC Consultancy has processed your personal information unlawfully or has failed to protect your privacy, we encourage you to contact us first. We will investigate complaints and seek to resolve legitimate concerns appropriately. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.
36. Industry Regulator Disclosure Requirements
VMC Consultancy may disclose personal information where required or permitted by law. This may include disclosure to:

  • courts; 
  • law-enforcement authorities; 
  • government departments; 
  • regulators; 
  • the Information Regulator; 
  • tax authorities; 
  • professional bodies; 
  • auditors; 
  • legal advisers; or 
  • other authorised bodies. 
Disclosure may occur where necessary to:

  • comply with legislation; 
  • comply with a court order; 
  • respond to a lawful request; 
  • fulfil regulatory obligations; 
  • investigate unlawful conduct; 
  • prevent fraud; 
  • protect individuals; 
  • establish or defend legal rights; or 
  • comply with another legal obligation. 
The Information Regulator is responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with POPIA and PAIA in South Africa.
37. PAIA and Access to Information
VMC Consultancy recognises the relationship between privacy rights under POPIA and access-to-information rights under the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA). Where applicable, requests for access to records held by VMC Consultancy will be handled in accordance with PAIA. VMC Consultancy will maintain an appropriate PAIA Manual.
38. Information Officer
VMC Consultancy will designate an Information Officer and, where appropriate, Deputy Information Officer(s) in accordance with applicable law.

Information Officer: Thembelihle Gugulabasha Ndlovu

Email: info@vmcconsultancy.com

Telephone: +27 719253666

Privacy requests, complaints and other matters concerning the processing of personal information may be directed to the Information Officer.

39. Data Retention and Disposal Programme
VMC Consultancy will maintain appropriate internal retention and disposal procedures. These procedures may specify different retention periods for: 

  • customer accounts; 
  • learner accounts; 
  • course records; 
  • assessment records; 
  • certificates; 
  • purchase records; 
  • financial records; 
  • marketing records; 
  • enquiries; 
  • research records; 
  • contracts; 
  • employee or contractor records; 
  • security logs; and 
  • other categories of information. 
Retention periods will be reviewed periodically. Where information is no longer required, reasonable steps will be taken to securely delete, destroy or anonymise it unless retention is required or permitted by law.
40. Privacy Across the VMC Consultancy Ecosystem
Although the VMC Consultancy ecosystem contains different websites, brands and platforms, they operate within the broader VMC Consultancy environment. This includes:

VMC Consultancy

Professional consulting, training, research and solutions.

Shaped by Psychology

Psychology-informed content, books, resources, blog, podcast and related educational material.

VMC Consultancy Learning Hub

Courses, programmes and learning resources.

Shaped by Psychology Shop

Psychology-informed and educational products, downloadable resources and other products.

Founder Platform

Professional, research, publishing and public-information content relating to the founder.

Afriwesternism

An intellectual and philosophical framework exploring dialogue between African and Western perspectives.

The main VMC website itself describes these as connected elements of the VMC Consultancy ecosystem. Information may be shared between components of the ecosystem where this is reasonably necessary, lawful and consistent with the purpose for which the information was collected. For example, information relating to a purchase may be used to provide customer support, while information relating to Learning Hub registration may be used to administer a learner's course. We will not treat the existence of a common ecosystem as unlimited permission to use personal information for unrelated purposes.

41. Changes to This Privacy Policy
VMC Consultancy may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes may occur because of:

  • changes in legislation; 
  • regulatory guidance; 
  • changes in our services; 
  • new technologies; 
  • changes to third-party providers; 
  • new websites or subdomains; 
  • changes in our data-processing practices; or 
  • improvements to our privacy practices. 
Where appropriate, material changes will be brought to users' attention. The "Last Updated" date will indicate when the policy was most recently revised.
42. Additional Privacy Notices
Certain VMC Consultancy services may require additional privacy notices. These may include:

  • Learning Hub privacy notices; 
  • children's programme notices; 
  • research participant information sheets; 
  • consent forms; 
  • ecommerce notices; 
  • employment-related privacy notices; 
  • event-registration notices; 
  • consultancy-specific privacy notices; and 
  • third-party service notices. 
Where an additional privacy notice applies, it should be read together with this Privacy Policy.
43. Contact Us
For questions, requests or concerns concerning privacy or personal information, please contact:

VMC Consultancy (PTY) LTD Information Officer: Thembelihle Gugulabasha Ndlovu

Privacy Email: general email address

General Email: info@vmcconsultancy.com

Telephone: +27 71 925 3666

Location: Wilgeheuwel, Johannesburg, South Africa

44. Information Regulator of South Africa
If you wish to lodge a complaint with the South African Information Regulator, you may use the Regulator's official channels.

Information Regulator of South Africa Website: https://inforegulator.org.za

Email: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za

Telephone: 010 023 5200

Postal Address: P.O. Box 31533, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2017

The Information Regulator currently provides eServices for POPIA complaints, security compromises, prior authorisations and other compliance matters.

45. Effective Date
Effective Date:  1/09/2026

Last Updated: 1/09/2026

Version: 1.0

VMC CONSULTANCY PRIVACY COMMITMENT
VMC Consultancy recognises that privacy is more than a compliance obligation. It is part of the trust we build with learners, parents, guardians, educators, schools, clients, professionals, organisations, partners and communities. We are committed to handling personal information responsibly, transparently and respectfully and to continually improving the way we protect the information entrusted to us.

VMC Consultancy (PTY) LTD

Psychology-informed. Education-focused. Strengthening Systems.