Privacy policy

We are MTN Group Management Services (Pty) Ltd].

In this privacy notice “MTN”, “we”, “our” and “us” refers to MTN Group Management Services (Pty) Ltd.

This notice applies to individuals that are:

• any person(s) who contracts with us for the provision of products and services, or who purchases a product from us (“customers”), including potential customers to the extent MTN Processes your Personal Data;
• any person(s) who uses our website, mobile applications or any products or services (“users”);
• all suppliers, contractors and service providers of MTN (“suppliers”) including potential suppliers to the extent MTN Processes your Personal Data
• resellers such a MTN distributors and agents as well as partners (“resellers”) including potential resellers to the extent MTN Processes your Personal Data; and
• any other persons (save for employees and job applicants) who share Personal Data with MTN including beneficiaries, trustees or donors to MTN trusts or charitable causes; MTN guests (“other Data Subjects”).

Data Subject:
Means an identified or identifiable natural person. An identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier or one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person. It shall also include any additional persons afforded data privacy rights and protection of Personal Data in terms of Applicable Data Privacy Law(s).

Local Regulatory Requirements:
Legal, statutory, regulatory, license conditions rules, guidelines, Ministerial/National Security orders or directives, and Directives relating to Public safety (where applicable) and Data Sovereignty* related requirements with which MTN is required to comply by applicable authorities in the jurisdictions in which MTN operates.

Personal Information or Personal Data:
Means any information relating to an identifiable, living natural person, and where applicable, an identifiable, existing juristic person. Examples of “Personal Data” includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• a name;
• any identifying number, symbol;
• contact information (e.g. e-mail address, postal address, telephone number);
• location data or physical address;
• online identifier or other assignment to the person;
• the biometric information of the Data Subject;
• the personal opinions, views or preferences of the Data Subject;
• correspondence sent by the Data Subject that is implicitly or explicitly of a private or confidential nature or further correspondence that would reveal the contents of the original correspondence;
• the views or opinions of another person about the Data Subject;
• the name of the Data Subject if it appears with other Personal Data relating to the Data Subject or if the disclosure of the name itself would reveal information about the Data Subject; and
• Special Personal Information.

Processing:
Any operation or set of operations which is performed on Personal Data or on sets of Personal Data, whether or not by automated means, including collection, receipt, recording, organisation, structuring, collation, storage; adaptation or alteration, updating, retrieval, consultation, use, dissemination, distribution, disclosure by means of transmission; or otherwise making available, alignment or combination, merging, linking, restriction, erasure, destruction, and/or degradation.

Special Personal Information:
A sub-set of Personal Data which is considered more sensitive than other categories of Personal Data. Special Personal Information includes but is not limited to Personal Data revealing a Data Subject’s racial or ethnic origin; political opinions or persuasions; religious or philosophical beliefs; trade union membership; criminal behaviour relating to the alleged commission of a crime or proceedings relating to the alleged commission of a crime; genetic data; biometric data; data concerning health; and/or data concerning a Data Subject’s sex life or sexual orientation.

To run our business, we may be required to collect, use, store and otherwise Process your Personal Data. The Personal Data that we may collect and Process can vary depending on the MTN products and services that you use, contract for or that you supply to us; how you may be using or delivering those products and services; and the means by which you may be interacting with us.
We will only collect the Personal Data of yours that is adequate, relevant and limited to what is needed in relation to the specific purposes for which we are collecting it, as described in this privacy notice.
The Personal Data collected and Processed by us may include:

• account and contact information: which may include your name, contact information (email address, postal address, residential address, telephone number), date of birth, identifying numbers (identity document number, passport numbers and/or other national ID numbers as required); billing information; financial information; any other information required to comply with regulatory requirements;
• location information: we collect information regarding your physical location / geolocation when you use your device, our products or services and they connect with cellphone towers, wifi routers, bluetooth, beacons, GPS satelites and/or other MTN technologies or infrastructure;
• network performance: we collect information which inform our network performance such as your use of our products, services or equipment
• financial information: such as your bank account or credit card details; financial history (including information to determine your creditworthiness);
• usage of your devices, our services and products: data usage (including browsing history); telephone records (including information regarding your incoming and outgoing telephone calls); text message records; video streaming (including your selected packages and usage); purchase activities; and other similar information;
• web browsing and application usage: we collect your Personal Data when you visit our website or use our mobile applications. This may include, your IP address, browser type; operating system; mobile carrier; your ISP; URLs of sites from which you arrive or leave the website and mobile applications and sites that have our platform technology embedded; time you spend on our website or mobile applications; links or advertisements you see; purchases made through our website; first party cookies and other webtracking technologies. We may also collect information identifying or related to equipment accessing our networks including the software, configuration, equipment type and other unique identifiers (such as your username and password). Third party cookies will also be collected from our selected marketing technology partner(s), third party websites and applications.
• supplier, reseller, contract and service provider information: which may include name, contact information, billing information, background checks, financial history, employment history, tax information, information related to your performance; any other information which may be required in terms of regulatory requirements applicable to MTN and/or our policies;
• multimedia data: such as unaltered photographs, audio recordings, or video recordings;
• social media information: we collect your information related to your interaction with our social media accounts, content and marketing campaigns (including your details when you enter into a competition or interact with an advertisements; your comments, your reactions (i.e. ‘likes’)), Personal Data available from your public profile and information you have allowed social media platforms to share with us in terms of your privacy preferences on that platform; and your social media handles;
• biometric information: such as images of you, fingerprints, voice recording or voiceprint, scan of your face in order to identify you;
• demographic information: we may collect information related to your gender, race or ethnic origin, age, education, financial status;
• views, opinions and interests: we collect information regarding your views, opinions and preferences (for example when you participate in a survey or when you provide feedback regarding our products or services or online based behaviour) as well as your interests. In the case of suppliers and resellers, we will obtain the views and opinions of others regarding your performance (e.g. references).

In most circumstances we collect Personal Data directly from you, for instance, when you buy or use any of our products or services, visit our website, interact with our customer services departments.
In some instances, however, we will also collect your Personal Data indirectly from third parties, such as from:

• Credit check or vetting agencies;
• Social media platforms;
• Marketing agencies;
• Other entities within the MTN Group (e.g. based on the usage of their applications, websites and sharing of Personal Data);
• Resellers in respect of the Personal Data of customers, users and suppliers;
• Third parties providing supplier and reseller references.

MTN will use your Personal Data for purposes of:

• Verification: we Process Personal Data necessary to verify your identity when you are purchasing our products and services, when you make contact with us, or when we contact you;
• Credit checks: we perform credit checks, including using the services of a credit bureau, where you are applying for a contract for products and/or services with us, and to assess your application;
• Contracting and processing orders: we Process your Personal Data in order to conclude and contract, to process your request to provide products and services and to keep you updated with your order progress and to provide our products and services to you;
• Billing and collection: your Personal Data is Processed to perform billing of your account for your use of our products and services. We also Process your Personal Data to collect outstanding monies due to us through our collection processes;
• Monitor and improve services: we perform research and statistical analysis on our customers’ and/or users’ behaviour for purposes of monitoring the performance of our network, products and services and maintaining or improving our products and services to you;
• Improve value proposition: we analyse our customers and/or users preferences and interests based on their use of MTN websites, mobile applications, products, services and/or social media interactions to improve on our services, products, to perform marketing, online behavioural advertising and to develop new services or products which may be suitable to you;
• Network performance: we Process your Personal Data to protect our network and manage the volume of calls, texts and other use of our network. For example, we identify peak periods of use, so we can ensure the network can handle the volume during those times.
• Marketing: we use your Personal Data to promote and/or market our products and services to you by means of text and voice messaging, email, post, telephone calls, or through social media campaigns, but only if this is permitted in terms of our policies, local regulations and you have not opted-out from the type of direct marketing communications (e.g., where you have opted-out of certain categories of direct marketing but not all categories of direct marketing).
• Fraud and crime prevention: we Process your Personal Data to detect and prevent fraud or criminal activity through the use of our products or services;
• Security: we Process your Personal Data to prevent Personal Data Breaches, and to safeguard our IT systems, networks, assets, buildings and places of work;
• Compliance and Reporting: we Process your Personal Data where this is required to comply with any legal obligations imposed on MTN by applicable law or in response to directives from law enforcement or court orders (for example “know your client” requirements) and to discharge any prescribe reporting obligations.
• Customer service: we Process your Personal Data to provide you with customer services including to respond to any question, query, requests, concerns or complaints you may have about MTN, including our network, products, services, employees or our Processing activities.
  MTN will not further Process Personal Data for any purpose that is incompatible with the original purpose that the Personal Data was collected for unless:
  • such further Processing is authorised in terms of applicable data privacy laws;
  • we have obtained your consent to the further Processing;
  • the further Processing is necessary to comply with an obligation imposed by Local Regulatory Requirements or for conducting proceedings in a court or tribunal; or
  • it is for scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes.

We are allowed to Process your Personal Data, so long as we have a legal basis to do so (i.e. there is a justification to Process your Personal Data in terms of laws applicable to MTN and/or our policies permit such Processing). When we Process your Personal Data, we will rely on one of the following legal bases, as appropriate, having regard to the purpose of Processing:

• Performance of a contract: this is when the Processing of your Personal Data is necessary to conclude a contract or perform our obligations under a contract entered into with you
• Legal obligation: this is when we are required to Process your Personal Data to comply with a legal obligation
• Legitimate interests of MTN or a third party: we will Process information about you where it is in our or a third party’s legitimate interest provided these interests are not overridden by your interests and fundamental rights and freedom to data privacy
• Legitimate interests of the data subject or another natural person: the Processing is necessary to protect a legitimate interest of the relevant Data Subject or of another natural person
• Your consent: in some cases, we will ask you for specific permission to Process some of your Personal Data. This consent may withdrawn at any time.

In those instances when we Process your Special Personal Information, we will rely on one of the following legal bases as appropriate having regard to the purpose of Processing:

• You have given explicit consent to the Processing of your Special Personal Information for one or more specified purposes. You may withdraw such consent at any time;
• Processing relates to Special Personal Data which was intentionally made public by you;
• Processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of a right or obligation in law;
• Processing is for scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes to the extent that a) the purpose serves a public interest and the processing is necessary for the purpose concerned and or b) it appears impossible or would involve disproportionate effort to ask for consent, and sufficient guarantees are provided to ensure that the processing does not adversely the individual privacy of the data subject to a disproportionate extent;
• Processing of Personal Data related to criminal behaviour is obtained and used in accordance with Local Regulatory Requirements.
• Personal information relating to race and ethnic origin is processed when necessary to identify a data subject and to comply with laws or other measures designed to protect or advance persons, or categories of persons, disadvantaged by unfair discrimination.

It is not mandatory for you to provide any Personal Data to us. However, failing to provide certain Personal Data to us, particularly where that Personal Data has been requested by us may impact our ability to, amongst other things:

• provide our products or services to you;
• to support you with and manage our products and services;
• provide you full functionality to all our webpages;
• on-board you as supplier, reseller, contractor or service provider;
• to allow you access to our premises or buildings.

MTN will not make decisions based solely on automated processing (including profiling) of your personal data which results in legal consequences or similarly significant effects for you.

However, MTN may process personal data using automated tools, including AI technologies where such processing is:

• necessary for entering into or performing a contract with you;
• based on your explicit consent;
• authorised under applicable data protection regulatory requirements; or
• approved by the Group Data Privacy Officers following a comprehensive risk assessment.

In all cases, MTN will implement appropriate measures to safeguard your rights and legitimate interests, including:

• providing meaningful information about the logic involved in the automated decision-making process;
• allowing you to request human intervention, express your point of view, and contest the decision

We will not retain your Personal Data for any longer than is necessary for achieving the purpose(s) for which the Personal Data is Processed, unless:

• retention of the Personal Data is required or authorised by Local laws;
• you have consented to the retention of the Personal Data; or
• the Personal Data is required for historical, statistical or research purposes and provided that we have established appropriate safeguards against the Personal Data being used for any other purposes.

We will ensure that Personal Data which is no longer required, or which we are no longer authorised to retain, is as soon as reasonably practicable, de-identified or destroyed through secure means, alternatively through permanent erasure by appropriate and effective mechanisms.

Yes, we do share Personal Data with affiliated third parties, as necessary for our legitimate business needs, to carry out your requests, and/or as required or permitted by law. This would include:

• Our service providers: We transfer your Personal Data to our third-party service providers, such as our (IT) systems providers, our hosting providers, consultants (such as legal advisers) and other goods and services providers. These providers Process your Personal Data on behalf of MTN in terms of a binding agreement with appropriate security safeguards. MTN will only transfer Personal Data to such a service provider when they meet our strict standards on the Processing of personal data and data security. We only share Personal Data that allows our service providers to provide their services and they are not allowed to Process your Personal Data for any other purpose.
• If we are reorganized or sold to another organisation: MTN may disclose Personal Data in connection with the sale, assignment, or other transfer of the business to which the data relates.
• Courts, tribunals, law enforcement, or regulatory bodies: MTN may disclose Personal Data in order to respond to requests of courts, tribunals, government, or law enforcement agencies or where it is necessary or prudent to comply with applicable laws, court or tribunal orders or rules, or government regulations.
• Audits: disclosures of Personal Data may be needed by our auditors including to perform financial audits, data privacy or security audits and/or to investigate or respond to a complaint or security threat.
• Insurers: our business requirements mean that we carry significant insurance cover in respect of business activities. There are several different participants in the insurance market (e.g., brokers, insurers, and reinsurers, as well as their professional advisors and other third parties involved should there be a claim). Some of these insurance market participants will require that we disclose Personal Data about you to them. The information will be used by the insurance market participants in the underwriting and ongoing administration of the insurance products, where there is a claim that you are relevant to and to allow the insurance market participants to comply with their legal and regulatory obligations. Some of these insurance market participants will handle this information on our behalf (like our service providers described above), but others will want to Process information about you independent of us.
• Other third parties: we may share information with other third parties who use MTN platforms / systems to advertise their product. However, the Personal Data collected is anonymised and/or aggregated prior to sharing with such third parties.
• MTN may sometimes permit third parties to offer subscription and/or registration based services through an MTN site. MTN is not responsible for any actions or policies of such third parties, and users should check the applicable privacy policy of such parties when providing personally identifiable information to them.

Yes, MTN transfers Personal Data outside of South Africa/Dubai but only if such transfers are permitted in terms of Local Regulatory Requirements.

MTN may transfer your Personal Data to other entities within the MTN group of companies. All MTN entities are bound by binding corporate rules which ensures that the MTN entity receiving your Personal Data protects your Personal Data in accordance with those binding corporate rules.

MTN also transfers certain Personal Data outside of South Africa/Dubai to third parties working with us or on our behalf for the purposes described in this Privacy Notice. When transferring Personal Data internationally to third parties we ensure your Personal Data will continue to be protected for example, by entering to binding data transfer agreements or by ensuring there are adequate data privacy laws, which requires the relevant third party to adhere to the data handling and data protection requirements, acceptable to MTN.

MTN secures the integrity and confidentiality of the Personal Data in its possession or under its control by implementing appropriate, reasonable technical, physical, and organisational measures to prevent:

• accidental loss of, damage to, or unauthorised destruction of your Personal Data;
• unlawful or unauthorised access to your Personal Data; and
• unlawful or unauthorised Processing of your Personal Data.

As part of its processes, MTN takes reasonable measures to regularly identify and assess all reasonably foreseeable internal and external risks to Personal Data in its possession or under its control and implements reasonable and appropriate technical, physical and organisational security measures to protect against the identified risks.

While MTN implements reasonable measures to prevent or reduce the likelihood and impact of Personal Data Breaches, this risk can’t be completely eliminated. If MTN becomes aware of or reasonably suspects a Personal Data Breach has occurred or that the integrity or confidentiality of Personal Data has been compromised, MTN adheres to its incident management Policies, Procedures and supporting documents governing the handling and reporting of Personal Data Breaches.

If MTN Processes Personal Data about you, you have the following rights:

• Access and correction: you have the right to access the Personal Data retained by MTN. This is sometimes called a ‘Data Subject Access Request’. If we agree that we are obliged to provide Personal Data to you, we will provide it to you free of charge. Before providing Personal Data to you, we may ask for proof of identity and sufficient information about your interactions with us that we can locate your Personal Data. If the Personal Data we hold about you is incorrect, you are entitled to ask us to correct any inaccuracies in the Personal Data.
• Object to Processing: you have the right to object to us Processing your Personal Data, on grounds relating to your particular situation, under certain circumstances (including to receiving direct marketing from us). For example, if we are Processing your Personal Data on the basis that is necessary for purposes of our or a third party’s legitimate interest or in the public interest. You may also object if you believe there is no legal basis for us to Process your Personal Data anymore.
• Withhold consent: you have the right to withhold your consent without any fear of negative repercussions in circumstances that we seek your consent to Process your Personal Data. If you experience any intimidation or negative repercussions for withholding your consent you should report this to your local whistleblower hotline at anonymous@tip-offs.net
• Withdraw consent: you also have the right to withdraw your consent at any time and we will cease Processing your Personal Data unless there is an alternative legal basis to continue Processing your Personal Data. We will advise you if we intend to continue Processing your Personal Data in these circumstances.
• Automated processing: you have the right, under certain circumstances, not to be subjected to a decision based solely on automated processing of your personal data.
• Disposal / Restrictions: in addition, you may have rights to have your information deleted / destroyed if we are keeping it too long or have no legal basis to Process it. You may also request that the Processing of your Personal Data is restricted in certain circumstances.
• Deletion (Erasure): You have the right to request the deletion of your Personal Data under certain circumstances, including when the data is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, when you withdraw consent and there is no other legal basis for processing, when you object to processing and there are no overriding legitimate grounds, when the data has been unlawfully processed.
• Data Portability: You have the right to request that we provide your Personal Data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and to transmit that data to another controller, where technically feasible in line with applicable data privacy applicable. This right applies when:
  • The processing is based on your consent or on a contract; and
  • The processing is carried out by automated means. MTN will endeavour to accommodate reasonable requests in line with applicable laws.
• Lodge complaints: you have the right to lodge a complaint regarding the way your Personal Data is being Processed with MTN or if you believe there has been a breach of MTN privacy policies and/or data privacy laws.
• Civil proceedings: you have the right to institute civil proceedings regarding the alleged interference with the protection of your personal data.

You can make a request or exercise these rights by contacting MTN at Groupdataprivacy@mtn.com and we will make all reasonable and practical efforts to comply with your request, so long as it is consistent with applicable laws and internal policies.
Finally, you always have the right to lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority responsible for the protection of Personal Data.

If you are located in, or your Personal Data is processed in South Africa, you may contact the Information Regulator (South Africa) using the contact details available at:

• PO Box 31533, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2017
• Enquiries@inforegulator.org.za
• (010) 023 5241
• inforegulator.org.za

If you are located in, or your Personal Data is processed in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), you may contact the DIFC Commissioner of Data Protection, the supervisory authority responsible for enforcing the DIFC Data Protection Law at:

DIFC Commissioner of Data Protection

• Level 14, The Gate
• Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)
• P.O. Box 74777, Dubai
• United Arab Emirates
• commissioner@dp.difc.ae
• +971 4 362 2222

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Notice or the processing of your Personal Data, you may contact us through our MTN offices at the details below:

MTN South Africa Office

• Address:
  MTN Group Limited, Innovation Centre,
  216 14th Avenue, Fairland, Gauteng, 2195, South Africa
• Postal Address:
  Private Bag 9955, Cresta, 2118, South Africa
• Phone:
  +27 11 912 3000
• Website:
  www.mtn.com

MTN (Dubai) Limited

• Address:
  Level 8, Central Park Offices, DIFC, Dubai,
  United Arab Emirates, 506735
• Phone:
  +971 4 423 7800
• Website:
  www.mtn.com

MTN may modify this Privacy Notice from time to time to reflect our current privacy practices. When we make changes to this notice, any changes affecting you will be communicated to you through an appropriate channel, depending on how we normally communicate with you.