Privacy policy

1. Who we are

Nooka Space Africa (“Nooka”, “we”, “us”) runs Nooka: private work pods in shopping malls that you book by the hour and unlock with your phone. We are the responsible party for the personal information described in this policy. Our office is at 20 Herold Street, Stellenbosch.

This policy covers the Nooka app for iOS and Android, the pods themselves, this website (nookaspace.com) and any emails or messages you exchange with us.

2. What we collect and why

Your account

To create an account and sign in, you give us your mobile number. We send a one-time sign-in code to that number by SMS. Each code expires after a few minutes, and you get a limited number of tries to enter it. Before your first payment we ask for your first name, last name and email address, so we know who is booking and can send receipts and booking information.

Bookings

When you book a pod we keep the pod, the date and time, how long you booked for, the price and what happened to the booking (for example confirmed, cancelled or expired).

Payments and saved cards

Payments are processed by Paystack. You enter your card details on Paystack’s secure checkout, not on Nooka’s systems, and we never see or store your full card number or security code. From Paystack we keep the payment reference, amount, currency, status and date.

If you choose Save card for next time, Paystack gives us a token that lets us charge that card again when you ask us to, along with the card’s brand, last four digits, expiry month and year and issuing bank, so you can recognise it in the app. You can remove a saved card in the app’s Wallet at any time.

Nooka Rewards

When you pay for a booking by card you earn rewards you can spend on later bookings. We keep a record of the rewards you earn, spend, get back and any adjustments our team makes, with the reason for each adjustment.

Using the pods

When you unlock or lock a pod from the app, we record which pod, when, which booking it was for and that it was your account. We use this to open the right pod for the right person, to help if something goes wrong, and to keep the pods secure. While your booking is active the app shows you the pod’s Wi-Fi details.

Your location

If you allow it, the app uses your phone’s location to show pods near you. Your location is sent to us only to find nearby pods; we don’t store it or build a history of where you’ve been. You can turn location access off in your phone’s settings and still search for pods on the map.

Your device

The app keeps your sign-in session on your phone so you don’t have to sign in every time. Our servers receive the technical information needed to answer the app’s requests, such as your IP address and the app’s requests themselves.

When you contact us

If you email us, message us on social media or speak to our support team, we keep what you send us and our replies, so we can help you and follow up.

Newsletter

If you sign up for our newsletter we keep your email address and any details you give on the sign-up form, and send you our news until you unsubscribe.

3. Why we’re allowed to use it

Under POPIA we may process your personal information when:

• it’s needed for our agreement with you, for example to run your account, take bookings and payments, unlock pods and manage your rewards;
• the law requires it, for example keeping payment records for tax purposes;
• it’s in our legitimate interest and doesn’t override your rights, for example keeping the pods and our systems secure, preventing fraud and improving our service;
• you’ve agreed to it, for example using your location or sending you our newsletter. You can withdraw your consent at any time.

4. Who we share it with

We don’t sell or rent your personal information. We share it only with the service providers who help us run Nooka, only as much as they need, and under agreements that require them to keep it secure and use it only on our instructions:

We may also share personal information when the law requires it, to protect the rights, property or safety of Nooka, our members or others, or with a buyer or successor if all or part of our business is sold, in which case this policy continues to apply to your information.

5. Information stored outside South Africa

Some of our service providers store or process personal information outside South Africa, as shown in the table above, including in Germany and the United States. We only transfer personal information across borders as POPIA allows: to countries or providers bound by laws, rules or agreements that give it protection similar to POPIA, or where the transfer is needed to provide the service you asked for.

6. How long we keep it

We keep personal information only for as long as we need it for the purposes in this policy, or as long as the law requires:

• Your account: while it’s open. If you ask us to close it, we delete or anonymise your personal information within 30 days, except what we must keep by law.
• Bookings, payments and rewards: five years after the transaction, as South African tax law requires.
• Pod unlock and lock records: 12 months, unless we need them longer to deal with an incident or dispute.
• Saved cards: until you remove the card, close your account or the card expires.
• Messages to our support team: two years after the conversation ends.
• Newsletter sign-ups: until you unsubscribe.

7. How we protect it

We take reasonable technical and organisational steps to keep your personal information safe from loss, misuse and unauthorised access. Everything you send to the app and this website travels over encrypted connections. Card details are handled by Paystack, which is certified to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). Pod Wi-Fi passwords are stored encrypted. Only staff who need your information to do their jobs can see it.

If we become aware of a security compromise that affects your personal information, we will tell you and the Information Regulator as POPIA requires.

8. Marketing messages

We send you news and offers only if you’ve signed up for them, or if you’re a Nooka member and we’re telling you about our own similar services, which POPIA allows. Every marketing message tells you how to unsubscribe, and you can also ask us to stop at any time. We still send messages you need to use Nooka, such as sign-in codes and booking and payment information.

9. Your rights

Under POPIA you have the right to:

• ask whether we hold personal information about you, and for a copy of it;
• ask us to correct information that is wrong, out of date or incomplete;
• ask us to delete information we no longer have a reason to keep, or to delete your account;
• object to us using your information for our legitimate interests or for marketing;
• withdraw your consent where we rely on it;
• complain to the Information Regulator.

To use any of these rights, email hello@nookaspace.com from the email address on your account, or tell us the mobile number you sign in with. We may need to confirm it’s you before we act, and we’ll reply within 30 days. You can also remove saved cards yourself in the app’s Wallet.

If you’re not happy with how we’ve handled your personal information, please tell us first so we can put it right. You may also complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa): inforegulator.org.za, POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za.

10. Children

Nooka is meant for adults. We don’t knowingly collect personal information about anyone under 18 without the consent of a parent or guardian. If you believe a child has given us their information, contact us and we’ll delete it.

11. This website and cookies

This website doesn’t use advertising or analytics cookies, and doesn’t track you across other websites. It loads its typeface from Google Fonts, which means Google receives your IP address when you visit. Links to our social media pages, the app stores and our newsletter sign-up form take you to those services, whose own privacy policies apply.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as Nooka changes or the law does. The date at the top shows when it last changed. If we make an important change, we’ll let you know in the app or by email before it takes effect.

13. Contact us

For any question about this policy or your personal information, contact our Information Officer:

• Email: hello@nookaspace.com
• Phone: +27 (21) 140-2999
• Address: Nooka Space Africa, 20 Herold Street, Stellenbosch