Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

Paladin Security is a South African security technology company. We build and operate security drones and offline facial recognition systems, and we train drone pilots. Our offices are in Cape Town and Johannesburg, and we work with clients across South Africa.

For the information described on this page, Paladin Security is the responsible party under the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA). In simple terms: we decide why the information is collected and how it is looked after, and we take that responsibility seriously.

2. What we collect

When you send us an enquiry, we collect what the form asks for: your name, company or organisation, email address, telephone number if you choose to give one, the sector you work in, what you are interested in, and your message. Website enquiries are also tagged with the date and where they came from, so we can follow up properly.

Like most websites, ours keeps basic technical records — such as the page requested and the browser used — to keep the site running and to spot problems. Your cookie choice is saved in your own browser, not on our server.

Please do not send identity numbers, copies of ID documents, medical information or other sensitive personal information through the contact form. We do not ask for it, we do not need it to quote or prepare a proposal, and it should not travel by email.

3. Why we use it

• To reply to your enquiry and answer your questions.
• To prepare quotations, proposals and site assessments.
• To supply, install, train, maintain and support the services you buy from us.
• To keep business records and meet our legal, tax and regulatory obligations.
• To keep the website secure and working properly.

4. Our lawful basis

POPIA requires us to have a lawful reason for processing personal information. Depending on the situation we rely on your consent (when you send us a message), our legitimate interest in responding to business enquiries and running our company, the performance of a contract you have with us, and our duty to comply with the law.

We follow the principle of minimal collection: if we do not need something for one of these reasons, we do not ask for it.

5. Facial recognition, drones and client footage

Our facial recognition systems are designed to run on hardware installed at the client's own site, without an internet connection. Footage and recognition data stay on that site and remain in the client's control. We do not receive a copy of it, and it is not sent to us for processing or storage.

Where we are contracted to maintain or support a system, an authorised Paladin technician may access it on site or with the client's permission, only for that purpose. Our clients are the operators of their systems: they are responsible for lawful use, for notifying people where the law requires it, and for keeping their own records accurate.

Drone flights are conducted by licensed pilots in line with South African Civil Aviation Authority requirements. Where a flight captures images of people, the client and Paladin agree in writing how that footage may be used.

6. How long we keep it

Enquiry records are kept for as long as we need them to help you and to service any contract that follows. If an enquiry does not lead to work, we remove it after a reasonable period — normally within three years of the last contact — unless we are required to keep it longer.

Records that relate to a contract, an invoice or a legal obligation are kept for the period the law requires, and then securely deleted.

7. Who we share it with

We do not sell personal information, and we do not share it for anyone else's marketing.

We share it only where there is a proper reason: with service providers who help us run our business (for example website hosting, email and IT support), who act on our instructions under written agreements and may not use your information for their own purposes; with our professional advisers where necessary; and with a regulator, court or law enforcement body where the law requires us to disclose it.

8. Keeping it safe

Access to enquiry records is limited to the people at Paladin who need it to do their work. Our website is served over an encrypted connection, and our recognition systems are offline by design, which removes a whole category of risk.

We review how we handle information as our systems and team change. If a security incident ever affected your information, we would notify you and the Information Regulator as POPIA requires.

9. Your rights

You have the right to know what personal information we hold about you, and to ask us to correct or delete it. You may also object to processing, ask us to restrict it, or withdraw consent you have given us.

To exercise any of these rights, email contact@paladinsecurity.co.za with enough detail for us to find your records. We may need to confirm your identity first, and we will respond within 30 days. There is no charge for a reasonable request.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa) at inforegulator.org.za.

10. Cookies

This website uses the small files needed to make it work — for example remembering your cookie choice so we do not ask you again. That choice is saved in your own browser, not on our server.

On your first visit we ask you to choose: accept all cookies, or keep only the ones the site needs. Both options give you the full website. If you accept analytics, we use it only in aggregate to understand which pages help people most — never to identify you. You can change your mind at any time through “Cookie settings” in the footer.

We do not use advertising cookies, and we do not track you across other websites. You can also clear or block cookies in your browser settings at any time; the site will still work.

11. Children

Our website and services are intended for organisations and adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has sent us information, contact us and we will delete it.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as our services or the law change. The date at the top of the page always shows the current version, and any material change will be described clearly here.

13. Contact us

Questions, requests or concerns about privacy can go to contact@paladinsecurity.co.za. Our Information Officer handles these enquiries and will point you to the right person if your question is about a specific site or system.