1. Introduction
The Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA, "we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of all users of the CHIETA Mobile Application (the "App"). This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our App.
CHIETA is a statutory body established in terms of the Skills Development Act, 1998 (Act No. 97 of 1998) and is subject to the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA). We take our obligations under POPIA seriously and process personal information lawfully, fairly, and transparently.
2. Information We Collect
We collect the following categories of personal information:
a) Information You Provide Directly
- Full name and surname
- South African ID number or passport number
- Email address and phone number
- Physical and postal address
- Employment information (employer name, occupation, industry sector)
- Educational qualifications and training history
- Banking details (where applicable, for grant disbursements)
- Documents uploaded to the App (e.g. certificates, CVs, employer letters)
b) Information Collected Automatically
- Device information (device type, operating system, unique device identifiers)
- IP address and approximate location (city/province level)
- App usage data (screens visited, features used, session duration)
- Log data and crash reports
- Push notification tokens
c) Special Personal Information
In limited circumstances, and with your explicit consent, we may collect special personal information such as:
- Race or ethnic origin (for transformation reporting required by law)
- Disability status (to facilitate appropriate support and accommodations)
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your personal information for the following lawful purposes:
- Creating and managing your user account on the App
- Processing and tracking training applications and enrolments
- Administering skills development grants (mandatory and discretionary)
- Sending application status notifications, deadline reminders, and updates
- Generating anonymised sector reporting for the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) as required by law
- Improving the App's functionality, usability, and performance
- Detecting and preventing fraud, unauthorised access, and security incidents
- Complying with legal and regulatory obligations
- Responding to your queries and support requests
We process your personal information only for the purposes listed above. We will not process your information in a manner that is incompatible with the purpose for which it was collected.
4. Data Sharing
CHIETA does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:
a) Government Bodies and Regulators
As a statutory body, CHIETA is required to submit aggregated data and individual learner records to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) as required by law.
b) Employers and Training Providers
Your information may be shared with your employer or an approved training provider where necessary to administer your training programme or grant application. This sharing is limited to what is strictly necessary.
c) Service Providers (Operators)
We use trusted third-party service providers to operate the App (e.g., cloud hosting, push notification services, analytics). These providers act as operators under POPIA and are bound by confidentiality agreements and data processing contracts. They may only process your information on our behalf and in accordance with our instructions.
d) Legal Requirements
We may disclose personal information where required by law, court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of CHIETA, its users, or the public.
5. Data Security
CHIETA implements appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, loss, or destruction. Our security measures include:
- Transport Layer Security (TLS/HTTPS) for all data transmission
- Encryption of sensitive data at rest
- Role-based access controls limiting staff access to personal information
- Multi-factor authentication for administrative access
- Regular security assessments and penetration testing
- Security incident response procedures
- Staff training on data protection and information security
While we take all reasonable steps to secure your information, no method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure. In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify the Information Regulator and affected data subjects as required by POPIA.
6. Your Rights Under POPIA
As a data subject under the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA), you have the following rights:
- Right to be notified: You have the right to be informed when your personal information is collected and how it will be used.
- Right of access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
- Right to correction: You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
- Right to erasure: You may request the deletion of your personal information, subject to legal and regulatory obligations that require us to retain certain records.
- Right to object: You may object to the processing of your personal information on reasonable grounds.
- Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.
- Right to complain: You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.
You may also contact the Information Regulator of South Africa:
Website: inforegulator.org.za
Email: complaints.IR@justice.gov.za
7. Third-Party Services
The App may use the following categories of third-party services:
- Cloud infrastructure: For hosting and storing application data securely.
- Push notification services: Firebase Cloud Messaging (Google) or Apple Push Notification Service (APNS) to deliver in-app notifications.
- Analytics: Anonymised, aggregated usage analytics to improve the App experience. No personally identifiable information is shared with analytics providers.
- Crash reporting: Automated error and crash reporting to identify and fix technical issues.
Third-party service providers have their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you interact with through the App.
8. App Permissions
The CHIETA Mobile App requests the following device permissions to provide its core functionality. You can revoke any permission at any time via your device's Settings app.
- Internet access — Required to communicate with CHIETA servers, submit applications, and receive notifications.
- Push notifications — Used to send you application status updates, deadline reminders, and important announcements. You can opt out via your device notification settings.
- Camera (optional) — Used only when you choose to scan or photograph documents to upload with your application. The app does not access your camera without your explicit action.
- Storage / file access (optional) — Used only to let you select documents (e.g., certificates, CVs) from your device to upload. No files are accessed without your explicit selection.
- Biometric authentication (optional) — Used for fingerprint or face unlock to secure app access. Biometric data is processed on-device only and never transmitted to CHIETA servers.
The app does not access your contacts, microphone, precise GPS location, call logs, or SMS messages.
9. Account & Data Deletion
You have the right to request the deletion of your account and associated personal information. To do so, use any of the following methods:
- In-app: Go to Account → Delete Account and follow the on-screen instructions.
- By email: Send a deletion request to info@chieta.org.za or misqueries@chieta.org.za with the subject line "Account Deletion Request" and include the email address or username associated with your account.
Please note: Certain records may be retained beyond this period where required by law (see Data Retention below). For example, completed training records and financial grant records must be kept for statutory periods under the Skills Development Act and the Public Finance Management Act. These retained records will be anonymised wherever lawfully possible.
10. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Specifically:
- Training and learner records are retained for a minimum of 5 years as required by the Skills Development Act.
- Financial grant records are retained for 7 years in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).
- User account data is retained while your account is active and for 3 years after account deletion, unless a longer period is required by law.
- App usage logs are retained for 12 months.
When personal information is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymised in accordance with our data retention and disposal procedures.
11. Children's Privacy
The CHIETA Mobile App is not intended for use by children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at info@chieta.org.za and we will take steps to remove that information.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or the App's functionality. When we make material changes, we will:
- Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
- Send a notification via the App to active users
- Require re-acceptance for significant changes that affect your rights
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the App after changes are published constitutes acceptance of those changes.
13. Contact Information
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the processing of your personal information, please contact our Information Officer:
- Organisation: Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA)
- Information Officer: The Information Officer, CHIETA
- Email: info@chieta.org.za | misqueries@chieta.org.za
- Phone: +27 (0)11 628 7000
- Address: 72 New Road, Glen Austin AH, Midrand, 1685, South Africa
- Website: www.chieta.org.za