Privacy Policy

1. Who we are and what this policy covers

The United Democratic Front Party (UDF Party, “we,” “us,” or “our”) operates the UDF Party mobile app, Android package com.udf.party, and its supporting membership and ward-service platform. UDF Party is responsible for the personal information processed through these services.

This policy covers the app and its connected services, including registration, party membership, ward information, councillor reports, participation, job interests, and associated website activity. It does not replace the privacy policies of independent services you choose to open or share information with.

Privacy questions and requests can be sent to info@udf-party.co.za. You do not need an app account to read this policy or contact us.

2. Information we collect

The information processed depends on the features you use and whether you are a visitor, member, or authorized official.

• Account and membership information: your name, email address, phone number and address where supplied, suburb and ward, membership number, membership type and status, referral information, application notes, and communication and consent preferences.
• Authentication and security information: password hashes, verification records, session identifiers, an app-installation or browser identifier, sign-in activity, and moderation or security records. Passwords are not stored as readable passwords.
• Location: latitude, longitude and accuracy when you use a location-enabled feature; locations attached to membership or service records; and timestamped route points and stops during patrol recording.
• Content you submit: councillor reports, messages, comments, ratings, participation responses, petitions, photos, video, audio recordings and other attachments you choose to send. Uploaded files can include metadata such as capture time or location.
• Job interests: your name, email address, selected work types, ward and optional skills or experience summary when you use the job-interest register.
• Technical and security information: sign-in and verification activity, session records, notification read state, the app-installation identifier described below, and the IP address and browser or app details recorded with each request. Usage events (which page categories you visit and how long you stay) are sent only from browser sessions where you chose Allow; the Android app sends no usage events at all.

Sensitive information: party membership, participation and submissions may reveal political views or affiliation. Reports and attachments may also contain sensitive information about you or other people. Only submit information you are entitled to share, and avoid unnecessary identity documents, financial details, or information about children and bystanders.

3. Why we use information

• Register and administer accounts and membership, verify identity and contact details, issue membership cards, and maintain ward assignments.
• Provide ward information, route reports to the responsible councillor or staff, manage cases and activities, and send service updates.
• Support participation, councillor feedback, job-interest matching and opportunity notifications.
• Manage communication preferences, invitations and party activities.
• Secure the platform, prevent abuse, enforce account restrictions, investigate faults, and maintain accountability records.
• Understand service usage and downloads and improve the platform.

Where applicable, processing is based on your consent, providing a service you request, legal obligations, or legitimate operational and security interests, subject to the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA). Processing political-affiliation and other special personal information also requires an applicable authorization under POPIA. A device permission does not by itself authorize unrelated uses of your information.

4. Device permissions and location

• Location: used to find your ward, position the map, attach a location to a report or record, and record an authorized patrol route. Patrol recording can send successive GPS points while a recording session is active. Stop the recording using the patrol controls when finished; you can also revoke location permission in Android settings.
• Camera: used when you choose to take a photo or video for a report, profile/card feature, or other supported submission.
• Microphone: used when you choose to record a voice note or video with audio.
• Photos and files: used for files you select to attach, and to save or share images you create. Older Android/app versions may request storage access for these actions.
• Internet: used to communicate with UDF services, retrieve content, sign in, and send your submissions.

You can deny or revoke camera, microphone and location access in your device settings. The related feature may then be unavailable; use manual location or ward selection where offered. Revoking a permission stops future access through that permission but does not remove information already submitted.

The app does not request access to your contacts, SMS messages, or call history. Permission availability and prompts vary by app and Android version.

5. Local storage, analytics and diagnostics

The app and web platform use device storage and, depending on the version and sign-in method, session cookies or tokens to keep you signed in and remember necessary settings. A generated installation/browser identifier supports device-level abuse controls. Clearing app data or browser storage can sign you out, but does not delete your server-side account.

UDF operates first-party usage analytics for its websites and web app. Those events carry a site label, a fixed page category, a short-lived per-session visit identifier and, optionally, time on page. They are sent only after you choose Allow in the on-page privacy notice; choosing Decline, or having a Global Privacy Control or Do Not Track signal set, stops them, and raw events expire automatically 30 days after collection. Identifier-free daily totals are retained. Withdrawal stops future collection but cannot recall events already sent.

The Android app does not send usage events: the analytics collector is switched off in the packaged app, in every release, whatever you chose in a browser. Earlier releases of this platform (until 23 September 2026) did record automatic, account-linked usage events; 10,997 such events covering seven accounts remain stored in analytics_events and are deleted only if you ask. Server and security logs separately contain IP addresses and request details.

6. Who can receive information

• UDF personnel: authorized administrators, organizers, councillors and support staff use information for their assigned responsibilities. Reports and their attachments are routed to the responsible ward staff.
• Service providers: hosting, infrastructure, communications and technical-support providers may process information needed to operate the platform on our behalf.
• Map and address services: when you attach a location to a report, a case or a patrol stop, our server sends those coordinates alone to the OpenStreetMap Foundation’s public Nominatim reverse-geocoding service to obtain a street and suburb label. Your name, account identifier and the text of your report are not part of that request. The ward or suburb name shown alongside it is computed from UDF’s own boundary data, and the lookup can be switched off without losing that label.
• Other users and the public: content published to a public or member audience is visible to that audience. Membership verification links or QR cards can reveal membership status, ward and offices held; contact details may be included where you enable sharing. Treat those links and cards as information you are sharing.
• Services you choose: using the device share sheet, following an external link, or contacting an employer sends the information you choose to that recipient, under its own privacy practices.
• Legal and safety recipients: information may be disclosed when legally required or where lawfully necessary to protect rights, investigate abuse, or address a safety issue.

We do not sell member personal information. Information shared publicly or sent to another person may be copied beyond UDF’s control.

7. Security and processing locations

Safeguards include HTTPS connections to UDF services, hashed passwords, encryption of stored member contact fields, role-based access controls, and audit records. Not every field is encrypted in the same way, and no app, device or transmission method can be guaranteed completely secure. Protect your device and do not share passwords or verification codes.

Information is processed through UDF’s hosted infrastructure and relevant service providers. If a provider processes information outside South Africa, applicable cross-border requirements under POPIA apply. Contact us for information about the providers and processing locations relevant to your records.

8. Retention

Two datasets expire on their own: raw patrol GPS track points are scheduled for deletion 90 days after a patrol ends, and optional usage events 30 days after collection. Both expiry jobs run continuously in production.

Everything else is retained: account and membership information, reports, attachments, participation, job interests, submitted locations, and security and audit records can remain after the activity that created them has ended. The current platform does not apply a universal automatic deletion period to these records.

Service-delivery cases and audit records are currently retained without a fixed automatic expiry for accountability. Ending membership may mark a record inactive or lapsed rather than permanently erase it. Uninstalling the app does not delete server records.

You may request deletion or anonymization as described below. Some information may need to be retained for an applicable legal obligation, unresolved case, fraud prevention or a legal claim. A deletion request must consider linked records and backups as well as the active account; any applicable exceptions and retention periods can be explained when your request is assessed.

9. Request account and data deletion

You can request deletion of your UDF Party app account and associated personal information without reinstalling the app or signing in. In the app, open Settings › Privacy and data › Delete my account and data, which brings you to this page; you can also go directly to it:

1. Email info@udf-party.co.za with the subject “UDF Party account deletion request.”
2. Send from the email address linked to your account where possible. Include your name and membership number if known, and say whether you want the entire account and associated data deleted or only specified information removed.
3. We may ask for proportionate information to verify that the account is yours and clarify the scope. Do not send your password, one-time code or identity-document copy in the initial email.

This is a request handled by UDF, not an instant automated deletion tool. Requests cover account/profile and membership details and associated submissions such as job interests, reports and uploaded media, subject to lawful retention and other people’s rights. Ask for confirmation of what was deleted or anonymized and details of any records that must be retained. If you cannot access your registered email, use the contact details below to ask for an alternative verification method.

10. Your choices and privacy rights

Subject to applicable law, you can ask for access to your personal information, correction of inaccurate records, deletion, an explanation of processing, or objection to processing. You can withdraw consent for a consent-based use; this does not undo lawful processing before withdrawal or remove other lawful retention obligations.

Use available communication preferences or contact us to change optional email, SMS or phone contact choices. Necessary account-verification, security and service messages may still be sent. You may also lodge a complaint with South Africa’s Information Regulator.

11. Children’s information

Do not submit a child’s personal information or images unless you are entitled to do so and any legally required consent or authorization is in place. If you are a parent or guardian concerned that a child’s information has been submitted, contact us to request review and, where appropriate, removal.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when app features, processing practices or legal requirements change. The latest version will be published at this URL with an updated date. Where a change requires additional notice or consent, we will seek it through an appropriate channel.

13. Contact UDF Party

Please identify your request as a UDF Party app privacy matter so it can be directed to the responsible team.