Privacy Policy
Real Skills Technical FET College is committed to protecting your personal information and upholding your rights under South African data protection law.
Introduction
Welcome to the Privacy Policy of Real Skills Technical FET College, also operating as Real Skills Training Institute and Real Skills Academy (collectively referred to as "Real Skills", "we", "us", or "our").
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect the personal information of our learners, applicants, website visitors, employees, suppliers, and other stakeholders. It applies to all information collected through our website (www.realskillzacademy.co.za), online application and enquiry forms, registration processes, email communications, and any other interaction with Real Skills Technical FET College.
By submitting your personal information to us — through any channel — you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please refrain from providing us with your personal information or using our services.
Who This Policy Applies To
This policy applies to prospective learners, enrolled learners, alumni, website visitors, corporate clients, training partners, suppliers, contractors, and any other natural person whose personal information is processed by Real Skills Technical FET College.
Who We Are — The Responsible Party
Under POPIA, Real Skills Technical FET College is the Responsible Party — the entity that determines the purpose and means of processing your personal information.
🏛️ Legal Name
Real Skills Technical FET College (also trading as Real Skills Training Institute / Real Skills Academy)
📍 Pretoria Campus
286 Pretorius Street, Central Towers Building, Office 0104, First Floor, Pretoria Central
📍 Bloemfontein Campus
78 Charlotte Maxeke Street, Cuthbert's Building, Office 0107, First Floor, Bloemfontein
📧 Information Officer
📞 Contact Numbers
012 023 0556 | 078 416 7322 | 076 895 4995 (Pta)
051 023 0676 | 063 804 8966 (Bloem)
🌐 Website
The POPIA Framework — Eight Conditions
The Protection of Personal Information Act No. 4 of 2013 (POPIA) establishes eight conditions for the lawful processing of personal information. Real Skills Technical FET College is committed to upholding all eight conditions in every aspect of our data processing activities:
1. Accountability
2. Processing Limitation
3. Purpose Specification
4. Further Processing Limitation
5. Information Quality
6. Openness
7. Security Safeguards
8. Data Subject Participation
We have appointed a designated Information Officer as required by section 55 of POPIA, who is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Act and handling all data subject requests, complaints, and queries. Our Information Officer has been duly registered with the Information Regulator of South Africa.
Information Regulator of South Africa
You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator if you believe your personal information rights have been infringed. Website: www.justice.gov.za/inforeg/ | Email: inforeg@justice.gov.za
Personal Information We Collect
We collect personal information that is adequate, relevant, and not excessive in relation to the purposes for which it is processed. The categories of personal information we collect include:
| Category | Examples | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Identity Information | Full name, ID number, date of birth, gender, nationality | Registration, identity verification, SETA/QCTO reporting |
| Contact Information | Phone number, WhatsApp number, email address, physical address | Communication, admissions follow-up, training coordination |
| Educational Records | Highest qualification, academic certificates, transcripts | Admission eligibility, RPL assessment, placement |
| Employment Information | CV, employer details, work experience | Skills gap analysis, learnership applications, RPL |
| Financial Information | Payment details, banking information, proof of payment | Fee processing, NSFAS or funder administration |
| Biometric / Photo | Passport-size photograph | Learner records, certification, identification |
| Special Personal Information | Disability status, health conditions (where relevant) | Reasonable accommodation, safety planning |
| Usage / Technical Data | IP address, browser type, pages visited, cookies | Website analytics, security, performance improvement |
Special Personal Information (Section 26 of POPIA)
Where we are required to collect special personal information (such as health information or disability status), we will do so only with your explicit consent, where required by law, or where it is necessary to carry out our legal obligations, and we will apply enhanced safeguards to its processing and storage.
How We Use Your Personal Information
We use your personal information only for the purposes for which it was collected or for compatible purposes that you would reasonably expect. The primary purposes include:
🎓 Admissions & Registration
Processing applications, verifying eligibility, enrolling learners, and managing registration documents.
📚 Training Delivery
Coordinating training schedules, facilitating learning, issuing learner materials, and managing assessments.
📜 Certification
Issuing certificates, statements of results, and submitting learner records to accreditation and quality assurance bodies.
💳 Financial Administration
Processing fees, issuing invoices, managing payment plans, and administering funding or bursary applications.
📣 Communication
Sending training updates, registration confirmations, important notices, and relevant educational information.
📊 Regulatory Reporting
Meeting statutory reporting obligations to SETA bodies, QCTO, DHET, and other regulatory authorities.
🔐 Legal Compliance
Complying with applicable laws, court orders, regulatory requirements, and internal governance obligations.
📈 Service Improvement
Improving our training programmes, website performance, and learner experience through anonymised analytics.
Lawful Basis for Processing
In accordance with section 11 of POPIA, we will only process your personal information if at least one of the following lawful grounds applies:
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Consent (Section 11(1)(a))
You have freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous consent to the processing of your personal information for one or more specific purposes.
-
Contractual Necessity (Section 11(1)(b))
Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are party, or to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contract (e.g. enrolment, registration, training agreement).
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Legal Obligation (Section 11(1)(c))
Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which Real Skills Technical FET College is subject, including reporting to SETA bodies and DHET.
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Legitimate Interest (Section 11(1)(f))
Processing is necessary for pursuing our legitimate interests or those of a third party, provided such interests are not overridden by your rights and interests.
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Vital Interests (Section 11(1)(d))
Processing is necessary to protect your vital interests or those of another data subject in urgent health or safety situations.
Sharing & Disclosure of Personal Information
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your personal information only in the following circumstances, and only to the extent necessary for the stated purpose:
| Recipient | Reason for Sharing | Safeguards |
|---|---|---|
| SETA Bodies (e.g. CETA, MERSETA, TETA, PSETA) | Statutory learnership and qualification reporting | Legal obligation; data minimisation |
| QCTO / DHET | Qualification registration and accreditation compliance | Legal obligation; secure submission |
| Assessment Bodies & Moderators | Learner assessment, moderation, and certification | Confidentiality agreements |
| Payment Processors & Banks | Fee collection and financial administration | PCI-DSS compliance; encrypted transmission |
| IT & System Service Providers | Hosting, CRM, email, and website management | Data processing agreements; access controls |
| Funding Bodies & Bursars | Learner funding, NSFAS, or corporate bursary administration | Consent obtained; limited to required fields |
| Law Enforcement / Courts | Compliance with legal orders or investigations | Legal obligation; minimisation |
| Auditors & Legal Advisors | Statutory audit and legal compliance | Professional confidentiality obligations |
Cross-Border Transfers (Section 72 of POPIA)
Where your personal information is transferred to a third party in a foreign country, we will ensure such transfers comply with Section 72 of POPIA, meaning the recipient country provides an adequate level of protection or appropriate safeguards are in place, including binding contractual clauses.
Data Retention & Disposal
We retain personal information only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by applicable law. Our retention periods are guided by the following:
| Category | Retention Period | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Learner Registration Records | 5 years post-completion | SETA/QCTO regulatory requirements |
| Certification & Qualification Records | Indefinitely (permanent learner records) | SAQA, QCTO, accreditation bodies |
| Financial & Payment Records | 5 years | Companies Act; SARS requirements |
| Employment / HR Records | 3 years post-employment | Labour Relations Act; BCEA |
| Application / Enquiry Records (unsuccessful) | 12 months | Legitimate interest; follow-up |
| Website Analytics Data | 26 months | Industry standard; anonymised after 12 months |
| Marketing Consent Records | Duration of consent + 3 years | POPIA Section 69; ECT Act |
Upon expiry of the applicable retention period, personal information will be securely destroyed, deleted, or de-identified in a manner that prevents reconstruction or unauthorised access.
Your Rights as a Data Subject
POPIA grants you specific rights regarding your personal information. Real Skills Technical FET College is committed to upholding these rights and will respond to all valid requests within 30 days of receipt, unless an extension is required and communicated to you.
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Right of Access (Section 23)
You have the right to request confirmation of whether we hold your personal information and to receive a copy of that information.
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Right to Correction (Section 24)
You have the right to request the correction, deletion, destruction, or de-identification of inaccurate, irrelevant, excessive, outdated, incomplete, or misleading information.
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Right to Erasure / Deletion (Section 24)
Subject to our legal retention obligations, you may request that we delete or destroy your personal information where processing is no longer justified.
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Right to Object (Section 11(3))
You have the right to object, on reasonable grounds, to the processing of your personal information, in particular where processing is based on legitimate interest or for direct marketing purposes.
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Right to Withdraw Consent (Section 11(2))
Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
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Right to Opt Out of Direct Marketing (Section 69)
You have the right to opt out of receiving direct marketing communications at any time by contacting us or using the unsubscribe mechanism in our communications.
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Right to Complain (Section 74)
You have the right to submit a complaint to the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe your personal information rights have been infringed.
To exercise any of the above rights, please submit a written request to our Information Officer using the contact details in Section 14 of this policy. We may require proof of identity before processing your request.
Cookies & Website Tracking
Our website (www.realskillzacademy.co.za) may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience, analyse site traffic, and improve the functionality of our digital services.
🍪 Essential Cookies
Required for core website functionality, security, and navigation. Cannot be disabled without impairing core functions.
📊 Analytics Cookies
Help us understand how visitors interact with our website (e.g. Google Analytics). Data is anonymised where possible.
⚙️ Functional Cookies
Remember your preferences, settings, and choices to provide a more personalised experience on return visits.
📣 Marketing Cookies
Used to deliver relevant advertisements and track the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns. Only with your consent.
You may manage or disable cookies through your browser settings at any time. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website. By continuing to use our website, you consent to our use of essential cookies.
Security Safeguards
In accordance with Section 19 of POPIA, Real Skills Technical FET College implements appropriate, reasonable technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal information against loss, damage, destruction, unauthorised access, unlawful interference, disclosure, alteration, or any other unlawful processing.
🔐 Access Controls
Strict role-based access controls ensure only authorised personnel can access personal information on a need-to-know basis.
🛡️ Encryption
Sensitive data transmitted electronically is protected using industry-standard encryption protocols (SSL/TLS).
🔄 Regular Audits
We conduct regular security reviews, vulnerability assessments, and staff training to maintain data protection standards.
📋 Incident Response
We maintain a data breach response plan. In the event of a breach, we will notify affected data subjects and the Information Regulator as required by Section 22 of POPIA.
Security Incident Notification (Section 22 of POPIA)
In the event of a security compromise involving your personal information, Real Skills Technical FET College will notify you and the Information Regulator as soon as reasonably possible after discovery of the compromise, as required by law.
Children's Privacy
Real Skills Technical FET College takes the protection of children's personal information very seriously. In accordance with Section 35 of POPIA, we will not process the personal information of children (persons under the age of 18) without the prior verifiable consent of a competent person — being the child's parent or legal guardian.
Where a learner is under the age of 18, we require a parent or guardian to complete and sign relevant consent forms before registration. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child without appropriate consent, we will take immediate steps to delete such information.
Parent / Guardian Consent Required
If you are under 18 years of age and wish to apply for or enrol in a programme, please ensure your parent or legal guardian is involved in the application and registration process. Enrolment cannot be completed without their written consent.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
Real Skills Technical FET College reserves the right to update, amend, or replace this Privacy Policy at any time to reflect changes in our data processing practices, applicable law, or regulatory requirements. The most current version will always be available on our website at www.realskillzacademy.co.za/privacy-policy.
Where material changes are made to this policy, we will notify registered learners and users via email or a prominent notice on our website. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our services after changes have been posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
Version History
Version 1.0 — July 2021 (Initial POPIA implementation) | Version 2.0 — January 2025 (Comprehensive update to align with full POPIA enforcement and updated data processing practices)
Contact Our Information Officer
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact our designated Information Officer. We are committed to resolving all queries promptly and in accordance with POPIA.
Get In Touch — Privacy & Data Queries
Information Regulator of South Africa
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may escalate your complaint to the Information Regulator.
Website: www.justice.gov.za/inforeg/ |
Email: inforeg@justice.gov.za |
Tel: 010 023 5207