Summary: W-EATS uses personal information to operate WhatsApp ordering, connect customers with vendors, coordinate available fulfilment, provide support, and keep the service secure. We do not sell personal information. This policy explains how we handle information under South Africa's POPIA.
What W-EATS Is
W-EATS (PTY) LTD provides WhatsApp-based food discovery and ordering technology. We do not prepare or sell food. Where enabled, we may coordinate delivery through an independent rider or allow an approved vendor-managed delivery service.
Information We Collect
To operate the WhatsApp ordering system, we may collect:
- Your WhatsApp name and mobile number
- Your area or location (to show nearby vendors)
- Your delivery address, landmark, and delivery instructions when delivery is selected
- Order details, payment method selected, status, timestamps, and order history
- Messages and support information you choose to send us
- Bot interaction, message-status, security, and technical log data
- For vendors and riders: application, store, menu, trading-hour, service-area, fulfilment, identity, and contact information needed to provide the service
How We Use Your Information
We process personal information only for a lawful and specific purpose, including providing a requested service, performing an agreement, complying with legal obligations, protecting legitimate operational and security interests, or acting with consent where consent is required. We do not sell personal information.
- To process and organise food orders in real-time
- To connect customers with the correct nearby vendors
- To provide vendors with order summaries for fulfilment
- To coordinate available collection or delivery and share necessary details with an assigned rider
- To provide customer support, investigate complaints, and correct records
- To prevent fraud, fake orders, abuse, and security incidents
- To improve system reliability and understand service usage
- To send optional marketing or daily vendor check-ins only where permitted; you may opt out at any time
Data Sharing
We do not sell personal information. We share only what is reasonably necessary with:
- The selected vendor, so it can review, prepare, and fulfil the order
- An assigned rider or approved vendor delivery service, when delivery is selected
- WhatsApp/Meta and technology, hosting, storage, analytics, security, and support providers that help us operate W-EATS
- Regulators, law-enforcement bodies, courts, or professional advisers where required or permitted by law
Some service providers may process information outside South Africa. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to require appropriate protection consistent with applicable law.
Data Storage & Security
We use reasonable technical and organisational safeguards designed to protect personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, or disclosure. No internet service can guarantee absolute security.
We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including order operations, support, dispute handling, safety, fraud prevention, accounting, and legal obligations. We then delete, de-identify, or securely dispose of it where reasonably practicable and legally permitted.
If we identify a security compromise affecting personal information, we will investigate, contain it, and make notifications required by POPIA.
Your Rights
Subject to POPIA and other applicable law, you may ask whether we hold your personal information, request access or correction, request deletion where appropriate, object to certain processing, or withdraw consent where processing relies on consent. We may need to verify your identity and may retain information that the law requires or permits us to keep.
To exercise a right or raise a privacy concern, email Info@w-eats.co.za or WhatsApp our Customer Centre on +27 70 383 5628. You may also lodge a complaint with South Africa's Information Regulator.
WhatsApp, Website & Marketing
When you use W-EATS through WhatsApp, Meta also processes information under its own terms and privacy policies. Our website may use necessary technical data and measurement tools, including Meta Pixel, to understand visits and WhatsApp-order clicks. Your browser or device settings may allow you to limit certain tracking.
Optional promotional messages and vendor daily check-ins are separate from essential order and service messages. Where consent is required, we send them only after consent. You can opt out using the stated instruction, such as STOP, or by contacting us. Opting out of marketing does not stop necessary order or support messages.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy when our services or legal obligations change. We will show the latest effective date and make the current version available at www.w-eats.co.za/privacy.html. We will provide additional notice where a material change requires it.
Contact our Customer Centre — we're here to help.
📞 +27 70 383 5628 · ✉️ Info@w-eats.co.za