CallaTool

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 24 September 2026
Please read before relying on this page: this is a working draft of CallaTool's Privacy Policy, written to reflect the data the CallaTool app and website actually collect today. It has not been reviewed by a qualified legal or privacy professional and should not be treated as final, production-ready legal text or as legal advice.

1. Overview

This Privacy Policy explains how CallaTool ("CallaTool", "we", "us", "our") collects, uses, discloses and protects personal information when you use the CallaTool mobile app and this website (together, the "Platform"). We aim to comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) as it applies to our processing of personal information in South Africa.

By using the Platform, you acknowledge that your personal information will be processed as described in this policy.

2. What we collect

We collect the following categories of information:

  • Account information: first and last name, email address, mobile number, password (stored as a hash, never in plain text), and account type (Customer, Tradesperson, Administrator).
  • Profile information: profile photo, business name, description, years of experience, trade categories, languages spoken, payment methods accepted, and (for Tradespeople) verification documents you choose to submit.
  • Location information: approximate or precise location when you enable location services, used to show nearby Tradespeople, match job requests, and set a Tradesperson's service area. You can decline location access and enter a location manually instead.
  • Job and quote information: job descriptions, categories, budgets, addresses, photos attached to a job, quotes submitted, and job status history.
  • Messages: messages sent between Customers and Tradespeople through the in-app chat for a specific job.
  • Reviews: ratings and written reviews submitted after a completed job.
  • Store enquiry information: if you submit an order enquiry through the workwear store, we collect your name, email address, and any delivery or order notes you provide.
  • Contact form information: if you use the Contact Us form on this website, we collect your name, email address, topic, and message.
  • Device and usage information: device identifiers used for push notifications, and basic technical logs (such as request timestamps) generated by using the app and API.

3. How we use your information

We use personal information to:

  • Create and manage your account, and authenticate you when you sign in;
  • Match Customers with nearby, relevant Tradespeople, and Tradespeople with nearby job requests;
  • Enable job posting, quoting, in-app messaging, and job status tracking;
  • Display profiles, portfolios, ratings and reviews to other users as intended by the Platform's core functionality;
  • Process verification document submissions for Tradespeople;
  • Send account, job, and transactional notifications (in-app and, where enabled, push notifications);
  • Respond to support requests, contact form submissions, and store order enquiries;
  • Maintain the security, integrity and proper functioning of the Platform, including detecting fraud or abuse; and
  • Meet legal, regulatory, tax and accounting obligations.

We process personal information on the following bases: performance of the contract between you and CallaTool (our Terms and Conditions) when providing core Platform features; your consent, for example when you enable location services or submit an optional verification document; our legitimate interests in operating, securing and improving the Platform; and compliance with legal obligations, such as tax and record-keeping requirements.

5. Sharing your information

We share personal information only where necessary to operate the Platform:

  • Between Customers and Tradespeople: profile details, job details, and messages relevant to a specific job are visible to the other party to that job so the work can be arranged and completed.
  • Service providers: we may use third-party infrastructure providers (such as hosting and push notification services) to operate the Platform. These providers process data on our behalf and are not authorised to use it for their own purposes.
  • Legal and safety reasons: we may disclose information where required by law, to protect the rights, property or safety of CallaTool, our users, or the public, or to investigate suspected fraud or abuse.
  • Business transfers: if CallaTool is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this policy continuing to apply.

We do not sell personal information to third parties.

6. Cookies and similar technology

This website uses a session cookie (via PHP's built-in session handling) where needed for site functionality, such as remembering form input during a multi-step process. We do not currently use third-party advertising or analytics cookies on this website. The CallaTool mobile app stores authentication tokens and preferences securely on your device rather than using browser cookies.

7. Data retention

We retain personal information for as long as your account is active, and for a reasonable period afterwards to comply with legal, tax, and accounting obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When you request account deletion, we mark your account and associated Tradesperson profile as deleted and stop using your information for active matching, while retaining a minimal record where necessary for legal or safety reasons.

8. Security

We apply reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information, including password hashing, access controls, and encrypted transport (HTTPS) for data sent to and from the Platform. No system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security of information transmitted to or stored on the Platform.

9. Your rights

Subject to applicable law, you have the right to:

  • Access the personal information we hold about you;
  • Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information (most profile fields can be edited directly in the app);
  • Request deletion of your account and associated personal information, using the "Request account deletion" option in the app's Account section;
  • Object to or request that we restrict certain processing of your information; and
  • Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe your information has been processed unlawfully.

To exercise these rights, contact us using the details in the "Contact us" section below.

10. Children's privacy

The Platform is not intended for use by anyone under the age of 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child without appropriate consent, we will take steps to delete it.

11. Cross-border transfers

Some of the infrastructure providers we use to operate the Platform may process or store data outside South Africa. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure the recipient is subject to a level of data protection that is substantially similar to POPIA, or that another appropriate safeguard under POPIA applies.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time by posting a revised version on the app and/or this website and updating the "Last updated" date above. Where changes are material, we will provide additional notice, such as an in-app message or email.

13. Contact us / Information Officer

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, or wish to exercise any of your rights above, please contact our Information Officer via our contact page or email privacy@callatool.example.