Your Right to Access Information

This manual is published by Ikhayalami (Pty) Ltd in compliance with Section 51 of PAIA. It explains the categories of records we hold, the procedure to follow when requesting access to those records, the applicable fees, and what happens if access is refused.

PAIA gives the public the right to request access to records held by a private body, where the information is required for the exercise or protection of any right. Access may be granted or refused in accordance with the provisions of PAIA.

This manual also gives effect to the following related legislation that intersects with the right of access to information:

• Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) — governs how personal information is held and the data subject's right to access their own personal data
• Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 (ECTA) — applies to information stored in electronic form
• Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA) — confers rights to inspect records related to consumer transactions

Under PAIA, every private body must designate an Information Officer responsible for receiving and processing access requests. Our details are:

Ikhayalami is a South African property technology (PropTech) company that operates a Property Intelligence Platform combining residential and student property search, listing services, AI-powered valuation and market analysis. Our core activities include:

• Publishing residential and student property listings for sale and to let across South Africa
• Providing AI-powered property valuations, neighbourhood trends, and market intelligence
• Connecting property seekers with private sellers, landlords, and estate agents
• Operating an AI assistant (Melikhaya) to help users with property-related queries
• Providing informational content about South African property law, NSFAS accreditation, and rental rights

Ikhayalami is incorporated in the Republic of South Africa and conducts all its operations subject to South African law, including POPIA, PAIA, ECTA, the CPA, and the Rental Housing Act.

The following are the categories of records held by Ikhayalami. Not all records are automatically accessible — access depends on whether the requester can demonstrate that the record is required for the exercise or protection of a right, and whether any grounds for refusal under PAIA apply.

A — Corporate and Statutory Records

• Certificate of Incorporation and Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI)
• CIPC registration documents
• VAT registration certificate
• Annual financial statements (not publicly available — see grounds for refusal)
• Director and officer information held at CIPC

B — User and Platform Records

• User account information (name, email, phone, property preferences)
• Property listings submitted by private sellers, landlords, and agents
• Enquiry and communication logs between users
• AI search history and preferences stored in browser localStorage
• Consent decisions (analytics consent, cookie preferences)
• Reports made by users regarding fraudulent listings

C — Financial and Transactional Records

• Records of subscription or listing fees paid to Ikhayalami
• Invoices and receipts issued to registered agents and listers
• Payment processing records (held by third-party payment processor)

D — Technical and Security Records

• Server access logs and error logs (retained for 30 days)
• Google Analytics 4 aggregated data (no personal identifiers)
• Fraud investigation records (retained for 5 years per Privacy Policy)
• Data breach incident reports and notifications to the Information Regulator

E — Employment Records

• Employment contracts and HR records
• Payroll records
• UIF and SARS records
• Health and safety records

Any person may request access to a record held by Ikhayalami. The request must be made in writing using the prescribed form (Form C) provided by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) or an equivalent written request containing all required information.

Fees are prescribed by the PAIA Regulations published by the Minister of Justice. The following fees apply:

Access to a record may be refused on the following mandatory and discretionary grounds set out in PAIA. Where access is refused, we will give written reasons.

• Protection of personal information (§63): Records containing personal information of a third party (other than the requester) where disclosure would be an unreasonable invasion of that person's privacy
• Confidential commercial information (§64): Trade secrets, financial, commercial, scientific or technical information where disclosure would cause substantial harm to the competitive position of a third party or Ikhayalami
• Legal privilege (§65): Records that are subject to legal professional privilege (communications between Ikhayalami and its legal advisors)
• Safety of individuals (§66): Records whose disclosure could endanger the life, health, or safety of an individual
• Research information (§67): Information relating to research being carried out by a third party where disclosure would expose the third party or researcher to serious disadvantage
• Operations of the private body (§68): Internal communications, the disclosure of which would be likely to cause harm to the operations of Ikhayalami
• Records not reasonably required (§50): Where the requester has not demonstrated that the record is required for the exercise or protection of a right

If access to a record is refused, or if you are deemed to have been refused access (because we failed to respond within 30 days), you have the following remedies:

• Internal appeal (§74): You may lodge an internal appeal with the head of Ikhayalami within 60 days of the refusal decision. We will respond to an internal appeal within 30 days.
• Complaint to the Information Regulator (§83A): You may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa — the body responsible for enforcing both PAIA and POPIA. Contact the Regulator at www.justice.gov.za/inforeg.
• Court application (§78): You may apply to the High Court for relief against a decision to refuse access to a record. This is usually a last resort after internal remedies have been exhausted.
• SAHRC assistance: The South African Human Rights Commission may assist you in lodging a complaint or seeking access to information. Contact the SAHRC at www.sahrc.org.za.

This manual is available in the following formats and locations at no charge:

• Online: On this website at ikhayalami.properties/paia
• Print: A printed copy may be requested by emailing paia@ikhayalami.properties
• PDF: Use the Print / Save PDF button at the top of this page to save a PDF copy for your records
• SAHRC register: A copy of this manual is also submitted to the South African Human Rights Commission as required by PAIA §51(3)

This manual was last updated in May 2026 and will be reviewed and updated at least annually, or sooner if required by legislative changes. The Information Officer is responsible for keeping this manual up to date.