This manual is published by Dear John (Pty) Ltd in terms of section 51 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (“PAIA”), as amended by the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”). It explains what records we hold, how you can ask for access to them, and how we process personal information.
1. About Dear John
Dear John (Pty) Ltd (registration number 2025/829242/07) is a private company that writes and delivers personal communications on behalf of its clients, by letter, telephone and with accompanying gifts, and sells related gift vouchers through its website, dearjohn.co.za.
2. Contact details
Head of the private body and Information Officer: Claudia Correia, Founder & Chief Ex Officer
Information Officer registration number: 2026-069244 (Information Regulator, South Africa)
Email: hushhush@dearjohn.co.za
Physical and postal address: Heartbreak House, Turley, Lonehill, Sandton
Website: dearjohn.co.za
We do not see visitors at this address. Requests are handled by email; please use the address above.
3. The Information Regulator’s guide
The Information Regulator has published a guide on how to use PAIA and POPIA, as required by section 10 of PAIA. It is available in all official languages on the Regulator’s website, inforegulator.org.za, and enquiries can be sent to enquiries@inforegulator.org.za.
4. Records available without a request
The following are freely available on our website and do not require a PAIA request: our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, this manual, and information about our services and prices.
5. Records kept in terms of other legislation
We keep records as required by, among others: the Companies Act 71 of 2008; the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008; the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002; the Income Tax Act 58 of 1962; the Tax Administration Act 28 of 2011; the Value-Added Tax Act 89 of 1991 (where applicable); the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013; and, where we employ staff, the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997, the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 and the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998.
6. Records we hold
- Company records: registration documents, statutory registers, resolutions and minutes.
- Financial and tax records: accounting records, invoices, bank records and tax returns.
- Client records: orders, payment confirmations, confidential briefings, drafts and approved communications, correspondence, complaints and refund records, and records of acceptance of our agreements.
- Recipient records: the details needed to deliver an agreed communication or gift.
- Supplier and partner records: agreements and correspondence with florists, delivery partners, licensed liquor partners and service providers.
- Website and marketing records: website content, analytics (where consented to) and social media content.
- Personnel records, where applicable.
Listing a category does not mean that every record in it will be released. Access is subject to the grounds of refusal in section 9 below.
7. Processing of personal information
Purpose. We process personal information to provide the services our clients book, communicate with clients, process payments, arrange deliveries, handle complaints and refunds, keep required records and meet our legal obligations.
Categories of data subjects and information.
- Clients: name, contact details, order and payment information (card details are handled by our payment provider and not stored by us), and the information shared in a confidential briefing, which may include special personal information shared with the client’s explicit consent.
- Recipients: name and the contact or delivery details needed to deliver the agreed communication or gift.
- Gift voucher buyers: name, contact details and order information.
- Suppliers and service providers: contact, business and payment details.
- Website visitors: technical and usage information, as described in our cookie notice.
Recipients of personal information. Only those who need it to deliver our services: our payment provider, delivery and gift partners, our email, hosting and IT service providers, professional advisers, and authorities where the law requires it. We never sell personal information.
Transfers outside South Africa. Some of our service providers (for example email and cloud services) may store information outside South Africa. We only use providers that are subject to laws or binding agreements giving protection comparable to POPIA, as required by section 72 of POPIA.
Security measures. Access to client information is limited to the people handling an order; systems are password protected with multi-factor authentication where available; information is encrypted in transit; and briefings and drafts are deleted 90 days after delivery unless the client asks us to keep them. Our people and partners are bound by confidentiality obligations.
8. How to request access
- Complete the prescribed request form (Form 2 of the PAIA Regulations, 2021), available from the Information Regulator’s website, or ask us for a copy.
- Send it to our Information Officer at hushhush@dearjohn.co.za.
- Provide enough detail to identify the records, the form of access you want, and the right you want to exercise or protect.
- If you request on behalf of someone else, include proof of your authority.
Fees. A request fee and, if access is granted, an access fee are payable as prescribed in the PAIA Regulations. We will tell you the amount before we process the request. No request fee is payable when you ask for your own personal information.
Timing. We will respond within 30 days of receiving a complete request. We may extend this once by up to 30 days in the circumstances PAIA allows, and will tell you if we do.
Your own personal information. You can also ask what personal information we hold about you, and ask us to correct or delete it, under sections 23 and 24 of POPIA, by emailing hushhush@dearjohn.co.za.
9. Grounds for refusal
We may or must refuse access on the grounds set out in Chapter 4 of Part 3 of PAIA, including to protect: the privacy of third parties, including the people our clients communicate with; commercial information of third parties; confidential information; the safety of individuals and property; records privileged from production in legal proceedings; and our own commercial information. Because confidentiality is central to what we do, client briefings and communications will not be released to anyone other than the client concerned, unless the law requires it.
10. Remedies
If you are unhappy with our decision, you may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator within 180 days of the decision, or apply to a court for relief, as provided in PAIA.
11. Availability and updates
This manual is available on our website and, on request, by email from our Information Officer. We review it at least once a year and whenever our processing changes.
