Terms & Conditions

1. About These Terms

These Terms & Conditions (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the Clean South Africa website, available at www.cleansouthafrica.org, the Clean South Africa mobile application (“App”), and any related digital platforms, features, services, programmes and content operated by Clean South Africa Foundation NPC (“Clean South Africa”, “we”, “us” or “our”).

By accessing, browsing or using our Website or App, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

If you do not agree to these Terms, you should not use the Website or App.

These Terms should be read together with our Privacy Policy and POPIA Policy, which explain how we collect, use, store and protect personal information.

2. Who We Are

Clean South Africa Foundation NPC is a South African non-profit organisation focused on environmental education, awareness, community action and technology designed to encourage positive environmental behaviour.

Our organisation details are:

Clean South Africa Foundation NPC
NPC Registration Number: 2024/582813/08
NPO Number: 313-604
South Africa
Email: info@cleansouthafrica.org
Telephone: +27 68 797 3780

3. Use of the Website and App

The Website and App are intended to support environmental education, community participation, environmental reporting, volunteering, clean-up activities, recycling information, community engagement and related initiatives.

You may use the Website and App only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms.

You agree not to:

• use the Website or App for any unlawful, fraudulent or malicious purpose;
• impersonate another person or organisation;
• provide false, misleading or fraudulent information;
• interfere with the operation or security of the Website or App;
• attempt to gain unauthorised access to our systems, accounts or data;
• introduce viruses, malware or other harmful code;
• scrape, copy or systematically extract information from the Website or App without our permission;
• use the platform to harass, threaten, intimidate or harm another person;
• use the platform to promote hate speech, discrimination, violence or unlawful activity;
• upload content that infringes another person’s rights;
• use the platform to advertise or promote unrelated commercial products or services without our permission; or
• otherwise use the platform in a manner that could damage Clean South Africa, its users, partners or communities.

We reserve the right to suspend or restrict access to the Website or App where we reasonably believe that these Terms have been breached.

4. The Clean South Africa App

The App may provide features including:

• reporting illegal dumping, littering and other environmental issues;
• submitting photographs, videos and other evidence;
• identifying or locating environmental issues;
• finding nearby clean-ups and environmental activities;
• registering for or participating in clean-ups;
• volunteering;
• accessing recycling and environmental information;
• participating in community discussions or feeds;
• recording activities and contributions;
• tracking individual or community impact; and
• other environmental or community features introduced from time to time.

Features may change, be added, suspended or removed as the App develops.

We do not guarantee that every feature will always be available, uninterrupted or error-free.

5. App Accounts

Certain App features may require you to create an account.

You are responsible for:

• providing accurate information;
• keeping your login credentials secure;
• maintaining the confidentiality of your account;
• notifying us if you believe your account has been compromised; and
• all activity conducted through your account, unless the activity occurred without your knowledge or reasonable ability to prevent it.

You must not create an account using another person’s identity or information without lawful authority.

We may suspend or terminate an account where we reasonably believe it has been used fraudulently, unlawfully, abusively or in breach of these Terms.

6. Environmental Reports

The App may allow users to report littering, illegal dumping and other environmental issues.

Reports should be made honestly and in good faith.

You must not knowingly submit:

• false reports;
• fabricated evidence;
• misleading photographs or videos;
• reports intended to harass or target another person;
• reports containing unnecessary private or sensitive information; or
• reports concerning matters that you know are unrelated to an environmental issue.

Submitting a report does not guarantee that Clean South Africa, a municipality, government institution, community organisation or other party will investigate or resolve the issue.

Clean South Africa may review, verify, categorise, map, moderate, share or escalate reports where appropriate.

Where appropriate, reports may be shared with relevant municipalities, government institutions, community organisations, implementation partners or other parties that may be able to assist with the matter, subject to applicable law and our Privacy Policy.

Clean South Africa does not represent that every report will result in enforcement, collection, clean-up, investigation or other action.

7. Reporting Is Not an Emergency Service

The App is not an emergency reporting service.

You must not rely on the App to report matters requiring immediate emergency assistance.

For emergencies or situations involving an immediate threat to life, health or safety, contact the appropriate emergency service or authority directly.

8. User-Generated Content

The Website and App may allow you to submit or publish photographs, videos, reports, comments, stories, reviews, clean-up information, environmental information and other material (“User Content”).

You remain responsible for the User Content that you submit.

You confirm that:

• the information you submit is truthful to the best of your knowledge;
• you have the necessary rights or permissions to submit the content;
• your content does not unlawfully infringe another person’s copyright, trademark, privacy, personality or other rights;
• you will not knowingly submit defamatory, unlawful, threatening, abusive or fraudulent content; and
• you will not knowingly submit another person’s private or sensitive information without an appropriate lawful basis.

You should avoid including private information such as identity numbers, financial information, home addresses, telephone numbers or other sensitive personal information in publicly visible content.

9. Licence to User Content

By submitting User Content to Clean South Africa, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to use, reproduce, store, adapt, publish, display and distribute that content for purposes connected with our organisation and mission.

This may include:

• operating and improving the Website and App;
• reviewing and processing environmental reports;
• mapping and documenting environmental issues;
• environmental education;
• research and impact measurement;
• reporting to partners, funders and stakeholders;
• public awareness campaigns;
• social media;
• fundraising and donor communications;
• annual reports;
• presentations;
• media and communications; and
• promoting Clean South Africa’s environmental work.

We will not acquire ownership of your copyright merely because you submit User Content.

You remain responsible for ensuring that you have the necessary rights and permissions to submit the content.

Where personal information is contained in User Content, our Privacy Policy will also apply.

10. Community Content and Moderation

Some features may allow information submitted by users to become publicly visible.

We do not guarantee that all community-generated information is accurate, complete or reliable.

Clean South Africa may, at its discretion, review, moderate, restrict, edit, remove or disable access to User Content where we reasonably believe that it:

• breaches these Terms;
• is unlawful;
• is misleading or fraudulent;
• infringes another person’s rights;
• contains inappropriate or harmful material;
• creates a safety or privacy risk;
• constitutes harassment or abuse;
• is spam or unauthorised advertising; or
• could otherwise harm the operation or integrity of the platform.

We are not required to monitor all User Content.

11. Community Conduct

Clean South Africa exists to encourage responsible environmental behaviour and constructive community participation.

Users are expected to engage respectfully.

Harassment, intimidation, threats, discrimination, hate speech, personal attacks, doxxing, stalking and other abusive behaviour are not permitted.

We may restrict or remove users or content where necessary to protect the safety and integrity of the community.

12. Clean-Ups and Volunteering

The Website and App may allow users to discover, organise or participate in clean-ups, volunteering opportunities and other community activities.

Participation in an activity is voluntary and may involve physical activity and environmental or site-specific risks.

You are responsible for considering your own suitability to participate and following reasonable safety instructions.

Where an activity is organised by another organisation, municipality, community group or partner, that organisation may have its own terms, requirements, rules or safety procedures.

Clean South Africa is not responsible for the acts or omissions of independent third parties organising or participating in activities, except to the extent that liability cannot lawfully be excluded.

Participants should not place themselves in danger to remove waste, approach potentially dangerous sites, confront suspected offenders or enter restricted areas.

13. Children and Young People

Certain Clean South Africa programmes may involve schools, children and young people.

Where participation involves children, we will apply appropriate safeguarding and consent procedures in accordance with applicable law and our Privacy Policy.

Unless expressly permitted through an appropriately structured programme, children should not independently create accounts or submit personal information where parental or guardian involvement is required by law.

14. Location Information

Certain App features may use location information.

This may include helping users identify nearby activities, recording the location of environmental reports, mapping environmental issues or measuring community participation.

Your use of location-enabled features is subject to your device permissions and our Privacy Policy.

You should exercise caution when submitting information that could reveal your home address, workplace or another sensitive location.

15. AI and Automated Features

The App may use artificial intelligence or automated technologies for certain features.

These technologies may assist with functions such as:

• categorising environmental reports;
• analysing or classifying photographs;
• providing environmental information;
• identifying patterns;
• organising submitted information; or
• improving App functionality.

AI-generated information may contain errors and should not automatically be treated as fact.

You remain responsible for exercising reasonable judgement when using information provided through the App.

The App is not intended to provide professional, legal, medical, emergency or other specialist advice.

Users should not submit unnecessary sensitive personal information, identity documents, financial information or private information about other people through AI-powered features.

16. Environmental Information

We aim to provide useful and accurate environmental information.

However, information available through the Website or App may come from Clean South Africa, users, partners, municipalities, government institutions, third-party providers or other sources.

We do not guarantee that all information is complete, current or error-free.

Environmental information should not be interpreted as professional, legal, regulatory, medical or technical advice unless expressly stated otherwise.

17. Third-Party Services

The Website and App may contain links to or integrations with third-party services, including mapping services, payment providers, social media platforms, hosting providers, analytics providers, app stores and other technology providers.

Third-party services are operated independently and may be subject to their own terms and privacy policies.

Clean South Africa is not responsible for the availability, security, content, policies or practices of third-party services, except where applicable law provides otherwise.

Your use of a third-party service is subject to the terms applicable to that service.

18. Donations

Where the Website or App enables donations, donations may be processed through third-party payment providers.

Payment transactions may therefore be subject to the terms, conditions and privacy policies of the relevant payment provider.

Clean South Africa will use donation information in accordance with applicable law and our Privacy Policy.

We do not intend to store complete payment-card details unless this is specifically necessary and lawfully permitted.

19. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise stated, the Website, App and their contents are owned by or licensed to Clean South Africa.

This includes, where applicable:

• our name and branding;
• logos;
• trademarks;
• text;
• graphics;
• photographs;
• videos;
• illustrations;
• software;
• designs;
• databases;
• layouts;
• educational materials; and
• other original content.

You may access and use the materials for personal, non-commercial purposes in connection with the lawful use of the Website and App.

You may not reproduce, modify, distribute, sell, commercially exploit or create derivative works from our materials without our prior written permission, except where permitted by law.

Nothing in these Terms transfers ownership of Clean South Africa’s intellectual property to you.

20. Copyright Complaints

If you believe that material available through the Website or App infringes your copyright or other intellectual-property rights, please contact us at info@cleansouthafrica.org.

Please provide sufficient information for us to identify the material and understand the basis of your complaint.

21. Availability of the Platform

We will make reasonable efforts to keep the Website and App available.

However, we do not guarantee that they will:

• always be available;
• operate without interruption;
• be free from errors or defects;
• be compatible with every device;
• remain unchanged; or
• be free from security vulnerabilities.

Access may occasionally be interrupted for maintenance, upgrades, security measures, technical problems or circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

22. Security

You must not attempt to compromise the security or integrity of the Website or App.

This includes attempting to:

• gain unauthorised access;
• access another user’s account;
• bypass security controls;
• introduce malicious software;
• interfere with servers or networks;
• reverse engineer systems where prohibited by law; or
• conduct denial-of-service or similar attacks.

We may investigate suspected security violations and take appropriate action.

23. Disclaimer

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Website and App are provided on an “as available” basis.

We do not guarantee that:

• information submitted by users is accurate;
• an environmental report will be acted upon;
• a reported problem will be resolved;
• a clean-up will take place as scheduled;
• a volunteer opportunity will remain available;
• third-party information is accurate or current; or
• the Website or App will meet every user’s particular requirements.

Nothing in these Terms excludes any right or protection that cannot lawfully be excluded under South African law.

24. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Clean South Africa will not be liable for indirect, incidental, consequential or special loss arising from your use of, or inability to use, the Website, App or related services.

This may include loss arising from:

• reliance on user-generated information;
• inaccurate or incomplete environmental reports;
• interruption of the Website or App;
• third-party services;
• participation in community activities;
• loss of data; or
• unauthorised access caused by circumstances outside our reasonable control.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability where doing so would be unlawful, including liability that cannot legally be excluded under applicable South African law.

25. Indemnity

To the extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify and hold Clean South Africa harmless against reasonable claims, losses, damages, liabilities and costs arising from your unlawful use of the Website or App, your breach of these Terms, or your User Content, including where that content infringes another person’s rights.

This clause does not apply to the extent that the claim, loss or damage results from Clean South Africa’s own unlawful conduct or liability that cannot legally be excluded.

26. Privacy

Your use of the Website and App may involve the processing of personal information.

Our collection, use, storage and disclosure of personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy and applicable South African data-protection laws, including the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”).

Our Privacy Policy forms part of these Terms.

27. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect:

• changes to the Website or App;
• new services or features;
• changes to our programmes;
• changes in technology;
• changes in applicable law; or
• changes to our operational requirements.

The latest version will be published on our Website with the relevant “Last Updated” date.

Where required by law, we will provide appropriate notice of material changes.

Your continued use of the Website or App after updated Terms become effective constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms, to the extent permitted by law.

28. Suspension or Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access to the Website, App or particular features where we reasonably believe that you:

• have breached these Terms;
• have used the platform unlawfully;
• have engaged in fraudulent or abusive behaviour;
• have compromised platform security; or
• have otherwise created a material risk to Clean South Africa or other users.

You may stop using the Website or App at any time.

Termination will not affect provisions which by their nature are intended to survive termination, including intellectual-property rights, disclaimers, limitations of liability and applicable indemnities.

29. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa.

Subject to any mandatory consumer or other legal rights applicable to you, disputes relating to these Terms or your use of the Website or App will be subject to the jurisdiction of the South African courts.

Nothing in these Terms prevents you from exercising any statutory rights available to you.

30. Electronic Communications

By communicating with Clean South Africa electronically, you acknowledge that electronic communications may be used to communicate with you where permitted by law.

Electronic records and communications may constitute evidence of communications between you and Clean South Africa, subject to applicable law.

The Website and App are operated in an electronic environment and are subject to applicable South African legislation governing electronic communications and transactions.

31. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, that provision will be interpreted or modified to the extent necessary to make it enforceable, where legally possible.

The remaining provisions will continue to apply.

32. No Waiver

If Clean South Africa does not immediately enforce a provision of these Terms, this does not mean that we waive our right to enforce that provision later.

33. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any additional terms specifically applicable to particular programmes, activities or services, constitute the agreement governing your use of the Website and App, unless otherwise required by applicable law.

34. Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms, please contact:

Clean South Africa Foundation NPC
NPC Registration Number: 2024/582813/08
NPO Number: 313-604
South Africa
Email: info@cleansouthafrica.org
Telephone: +27 68 797 3780
Website: www.cleansouthafrica.org

A cleaner South Africa starts with all of us.