Information We Collect For Bookkeeping And Payroll Work
Affo collects only the information reasonably needed to provide outsourced bookkeeping and payroll services to micro businesses. This may include names, identity or passport details, contact information, employment records, banking details, tax numbers, salary information, leave balances, timesheets, deduction details and business registration records. We may also receive supporting documents such as invoices, payslips, employment contracts and statutory filings.
Where you submit an enquiry through our contact page, we may collect your name, business name, contact details and the content of your message. If you provide information about third parties, such as staff members or contractors, you confirm that you have the right to share it with us for the purpose stated.
Why We Use Personal Information
We use personal information to deliver the services you request, to administer payroll accurately, to prepare financial records, and to support compliance with South African legal and tax requirements. This includes processing monthly payroll, weekly wage payroll, payslip processing, leave tracking, timesheet capture, new employee setup, termination pay, deduction support, payroll reporting, holiday payroll cover, small team payroll and payroll cleanup.
- To manage client records and service instructions
- To prepare payroll and bookkeeping outputs
- To meet statutory, tax and employment obligations
- To communicate with you about service matters, corrections or missing information
- To improve the accuracy and continuity of our work for your business
Lawful Grounds Under POPIA
We process personal information lawfully and fairly. Depending on the context, we rely on your consent, the performance of a contract, our legal obligations, or our legitimate interests in operating a responsible professional service. For example, payroll data must often be processed to pay employees on time and to complete required submissions. In some cases, retaining records is necessary to comply with South African laws that apply to employers and service providers.
If you do not provide certain information, we may be unable to perform the requested service accurately or on time. In those cases, we will explain what is needed and why it is required.
How We Share Information And Who May See It
Affo does not sell personal information. We may share information only where necessary and with care, for example with authorised team members, compliance support providers, cloud systems used for record keeping, or third parties involved in payroll processing and statutory submissions. We may also share information where required by law, court order, or lawful instruction from a regulator or public authority.
- Only staff members who need the information for their role may access it
- Third parties are expected to keep information confidential
- We use reasonable controls to limit unauthorised access
- Cross-border transfers are limited and handled with care where relevant
Storage, Security And Retention Of Records
We take reasonable technical and organisational steps to protect personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access and unlawful disclosure. These steps may include access controls, password protection, secure cloud storage and backup procedures. We also recognise that load-shedding, device failure and network disruption can affect continuity, so records are managed with practical safeguards and backups where appropriate.
Personal information is kept only for as long as needed for the purpose for which it was collected, or as long as required by law, tax rules, employment law, accounting practice or a contractual obligation. When records are no longer needed, we will delete or destroy them securely, subject to any lawful retention duty.
Your Rights And How To Raise A Request
Subject to POPIA and other applicable laws, you may request access to personal information we hold about you, ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information, object to certain processing, or request deletion where we are not legally required to retain the record. If you believe information has been handled improperly, you may also raise a complaint for review.
To make a privacy request, please use the enquiry form on our contact page and clearly state that your request relates to personal information. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request, especially where the information concerns payroll, staff records or sensitive business data.
Operator Details And Policy Updates
Affo operates as a South African outsourced bookkeeping and payroll service based in Bryanston, Johannesburg, and serves micro businesses in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban and Gqeberha. For this policy, the operator is Astros Marketing (Pty) Ltd. We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, our services or our information handling practices. The latest version will apply from the date it is made available.
By submitting personal information to Affo, you acknowledge that it may be processed in accordance with this Privacy Policy and with applicable South African law.