Last updated: 2 October 2026
1. Who we are
MyChurch App ("we", "us") provides a church management platform, church websites and member apps to churches in South Africa. For personal information we process for our own purposes (for example, pastors' and agents' accounts and billing), we are the responsible party under the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA). For information a church captures about its own members and visitors, the church is the responsible party and we act as its operator, processing that information only on the church's instructions.
2. Information we collect
- Church and administrator details: church name, contact details, pastor/administrator name, email, phone and login credentials (passwords are stored hashed).
- Agent details: name, contact details, ID number, city and banking details, needed to pay commission.
- Member information (on behalf of churches): profile and contact details, attendance, group membership, prayer requests, event bookings, giving records and shop orders.
- Payment information: payment references and statuses. Card details are captured by PayFast and never stored by us.
- Technical information: session cookies needed to keep you signed in, a referral cookie that remembers which agent referred a church, and the IP address of failed sign-in attempts (kept for one day to block password-guessing).
- Emails we send you: a copy of service emails (login details, password reset links, payment and approval notices, subscription reminders) is kept for up to 90 days so we can troubleshoot delivery.
3. Why we process it
To provide and support the platform, to create and secure accounts, to process subscriptions and agent commissions, to communicate with you about the service, and to meet legal obligations. We rely on the performance of a contract, legitimate interests and, where required, consent.
4. Special personal information
Religious affiliation is special personal information under POPIA. Churches process it in the course of their legitimate activities as religious bodies, in respect of their members. Churches are responsible for informing members and obtaining consent where required. Prayer requests may contain sensitive information; members choose what they share and with whom.
5. Sharing
We do not sell personal information and do not send marketing on behalf of third parties. We share it only with service providers who help us run the platform (hosting, payment processing via PayFast, email delivery), with the church you belong to, or where the law requires. Each church can see only its own data.
6. Cross-border transfers
Some service providers may store information outside South Africa. Where this happens we make sure the recipient is subject to adequate protection as required by section 72 of POPIA.
7. Security
We use reasonable technical and organisational measures, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), hashed passwords, single-use password reset links that expire after an hour, temporary lock-outs after repeated failed sign-ins, access controls per church and role, and nightly database backups stored outside the public website folder and kept for 14 days. If we become aware of a security compromise affecting your personal information we will notify you and the Information Regulator as required by section 22 of POPIA.
8. Retention
We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purposes above or as required by law (for example, financial records). When a church cancels, its data is deleted or de-identified after a reasonable period, unless the law requires otherwise.
9. Your rights
You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information, object to processing, and withdraw consent. Church members should first contact their church, which controls their member records. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator (South Africa) at inforegulator.org.za.
10. Children
Where a church records information about children (for example, Sunday school), the church must obtain the consent of a parent or guardian.
11. Contact / Information Officer
Questions or requests: info@mychurchapp.co.za. Information Officer: [name to be completed].