Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Exigo Chartered Advisory (Pty) Ltd ("Exigo", "we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is collected and processed properly, lawfully, and transparently.

This Privacy Policy outlines how we handle your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa and other applicable financial and regulatory standards.

2. Who We Are

Exigo Chartered Advisory (Pty) Ltd is a registered chartered accounting and financial advisory firm.

Physical Address: First Floor, Unit 02/08 Block 2, Boardwalk Office Park, 107 Haymeadow Street, Faerie Glen, Pretoria, 0043.
Email: info@exigoca.co.za
Phone: 081 600 4407

3. The Information We Collect

To provide our professional services, we must collect and process various categories of personal and corporate information. This includes:

• Identity and Contact Information: Names, identification numbers, passport numbers, email addresses, physical and postal addresses, and telephone numbers of clients, directors, and shareholders.
• Financial and Tax Information: Bank statements, financial records, tax reference numbers, VAT numbers, PAYE details, payroll data, and employee remuneration details.
• Corporate and Statutory Information: CIPC registration documents, statutory registers, beneficial ownership details, and shareholder structures.
• Technical and Website Usage Information: IP addresses, browser types, and usage data collected automatically when you visit our website (via cookies).

4. How We Collect Your Information

We collect personal information in the following ways:

• Directly from you: When you engage our services, contact us via phone or email, fill out website forms, or provide us with physical or digital records.
• From third parties: Where authorised, we may collect information from regulators (such as SARS or the CIPC), your previous accounting firm during a handover, or verification agencies.
• Automatically: When you use our website, we may collect technical data through cookies and similar tracking technologies.

5. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal and financial information strictly for the purposes of providing professional services and running our business. Specifically, we process your data to:

• Deliver accounting, tax, company secretarial, independent review, and outsourced CFO services.
• Prepare and submit tax returns, statutory filings, and reconciliations to SARS, the CIPC, and the Department of Employment and Labour.
• Communicate with you regarding your business, upcoming deadlines, and proactive financial strategies.
• Issue invoices, process payments, and manage client accounts.
• Comply with our own legal, regulatory, and professional obligations as registered accountants and tax practitioners.

6. Disclosure of Your Information

We treat your financial and personal data with strict confidentiality. We do not sell, rent, or trade your information to third parties for marketing purposes. We will only share your information in the following circumstances:

• Regulators and Government Bodies: We routinely submit necessary information to SARS, the CIPC, and other statutory bodies to fulfill your compliance obligations.
• Service Providers: We use trusted third-party service providers to facilitate our work, such as cloud accounting software (e.g., QuickBooks, Xero), secure cloud hosting, and email infrastructure. These providers are bound by strict confidentiality and data protection agreements.
• Legal Obligations: We may disclose information if required to do so by law, subpoena, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Exigo, our clients, or the public.

7. Data Security

We implement robust technical and organisational measures to protect your personal and financial information against accidental loss, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. This includes utilizing secure cloud storage environments, restricting access to sensitive data only to authorized personnel, and maintaining strict internal data handling protocols.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as is necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law.

In accordance with South African legislation (including the Companies Act and the Tax Administration Act), accounting records, financial statements, and supporting tax documentation are typically retained for a minimum period of five to seven years.

9. Cross-Border Data Transfers

Some of the cloud-based software and digital infrastructure we use to manage your accounts may be hosted on servers located outside of South Africa. Where your information is transferred internationally, we ensure that the third-party providers adhere to data protection standards that are legally equivalent to or stricter than those set out in POPIA.

10. Your Rights Under POPIA

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act, you have specific rights regarding your personal data. You have the right to:

• Request confirmation of whether we hold personal information about you.
• Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Request the correction or deletion of inaccurate, irrelevant, or outdated information.
• Object to the processing of your personal information on reasonable grounds.
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe your data has been misused.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@exigoca.co.za.

11. Cookies and Website Tracking

Our website uses cookies to improve user experience and analyze site traffic. Cookies are small text files placed on your device. You can manage or disable cookies at any time through your web browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may impact the functionality of our website.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. The most current version will always be published on this page, indicated by the "Last updated" date at the top of the policy. Continued use of our services following an update constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us:

• Email: info@exigoca.co.za
• Phone: 081 600 4407
• Physical Address: First Floor, Unit 02/08 Block 2, Boardwalk Office Park, 107 Haymeadow Street, Faerie Glen, Pretoria, 0043