Last updated: 1 July 2026
Blackthorn Resolute (“we,” “us,” “our”) is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”). This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and the rights you have over it.
This policy applies to visitors of blackthornresolute.co.za and to clients who engage our mediation, negotiation, and training services.
1. Who We Are
Blackthorn Resolute provides mediation, negotiation, and conflict-communication training services.
Contact details:
- Email: support@blackthornresolute.co.za
- Phone: +27 64 898 7503
Information Officer: Stavros Gazis
(Under POPIA, every organisation processing personal information must register an Information Officer with the Information Regulator. If you haven’t done this yet, it’s a required step — not optional — and I’d flag it as a priority alongside this policy.)
2. What Personal Information We Collect
Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:
- Contact details — name, email address, phone number (e.g. via our contact form)
- Message content — anything you submit in the “Your message” field of our contact form
- Technical/usage data — IP address, browser type, pages visited, and cookie identifiers (see Section 5)
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children without the consent of a parent or guardian, and we do not use our website to target children.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your personal information to:
- Respond to enquiries submitted through our contact form
- Schedule and conduct consultations, mediation sessions, and training
- Prepare case summaries, reports, and settlement documentation you’ve requested
- Process payments for our services
- Comply with legal or regulatory obligations
- Improve our website through anonymised or aggregated analytics
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for purposes beyond what’s described here without your consent.
4. Confidentiality of Mediation Information
Information shared during mediation sessions is treated as strictly confidential, subject to the exceptions described in our [Our Rates / Terms page — link if applicable]: namely, where disclosure is required by law, such as threats of harm to self or others, or as mandated by a court order.
5. Cookies and Tracking
Our website uses cookies to operate correctly and, where you consent, to understand how visitors use the site.
- Essential cookies — required for basic site functionality (e.g. remembering your cookie preference). These do not require consent.
- Analytics cookies — help us understand site usage (e.g. Google Analytics). These are only activated after you click “Accept” on our cookie banner.
You can withdraw or change your cookie consent at any time by clearing your browser’s local storage/cookies for this site, which will show the consent banner again on your next visit.
6. Legal Basis for Processing
We process your personal information on one or more of the following bases, as required by POPIA:
- Your consent (e.g. submitting the contact form, accepting cookies)
- Performance of a contract (e.g. delivering mediation services you’ve booked)
- Legal obligation (e.g. record-keeping, court orders)
- Our legitimate interests, balanced against your rights (e.g. basic website analytics)
7. Sharing Your Information
We do not sell or rent your personal information. We may share it with:
- Service providers who support our operations (e.g. payment processors, hosting providers), under confidentiality obligations
- Legal or regulatory authorities, where required by law
- Co-mediators or other parties directly involved in your case, only as necessary and with your knowledge
We do not transfer personal information outside South Africa except where a service provider requires it (e.g. cloud hosting), and only where appropriate safeguards are in place.
8. How Long We Keep Your Information
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy, including:
- Contact form enquiries that don’t result in a booking: 12 months
- Cookie/analytics data: as set by the relevant analytics provider (typically 14–26 months)
9. Your Rights Under POPIA
You have the right to:
- Be informed that your personal information is being collected
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Request correction or deletion of inaccurate or outdated information
- Object to the processing of your personal information
- Withdraw consent at any time, where processing is based on consent
- Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe your rights have been infringed
Information Regulator contact details:
- Website: www.justice.gov.za/inforeg
- Email: complaints.IR@justice.gov.za
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@blackthornresolute.co.za.
10. Security
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against loss, unauthorised access, and misuse, including secure storage and controlled access to case notes and records.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top will reflect the most recent revision. Material changes will be communicated where appropriate.
12. Contact Us
If you have questions about this policy or how we handle your personal information, contact us at:
Email: support@blackthornresolute.co.za Phone: +27 64 898 7503
This policy is provided as general guidance and should be reviewed against your specific business practices and, ideally, checked by a professional familiar with POPIA before publishing.