Your Right to Access Information

This manual is published by ONWA CONNECT (PTY) LTD t/a IKHAYALAMI in terms of Section 51 of PAIA. It explains the categories of records we hold, the procedure to follow when requesting access to those records, the applicable fees, and what happens if access is refused.

PAIA gives the public the right to request access to records held by a private body, where the information is required for the exercise or protection of any right. Access may be granted or refused in accordance with the provisions of PAIA.

This manual also gives effect to the following related legislation that intersects with the right of access to information:

• Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) — governs how personal information is held and the data subject's right to access their own personal data
• Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 (ECTA) — applies to information stored in electronic form
• Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA) — confers rights to inspect records related to consumer transactions

Under PAIA, every private body must designate an Information Officer responsible for receiving and processing access requests. Our details are:

Ikhayalami is a South African property technology (PropTech) company that operates a Property Intelligence Platform combining residential and student property search, listing services, AI-powered valuation and market analysis. Our core activities include:

• Publishing residential and student property listings for sale and to let across South Africa
• Providing AI-powered property valuations, neighbourhood trends, and market intelligence
• Connecting property seekers with private sellers, landlords, and estate agents
• Operating an AI assistant (Melikhaya) to help users with property-related queries
• Providing informational content about South African property law, NSFAS accreditation, and rental rights

Ikhayalami is incorporated in the Republic of South Africa and conducts all its operations subject to South African law, including POPIA, PAIA, ECTA, the CPA, and the Rental Housing Act.

The following are the categories of records held by Ikhayalami. Not all records are automatically accessible — access depends on whether the requester can demonstrate that the record is required for the exercise or protection of a right, and whether any grounds for refusal under PAIA apply.

A — Corporate and Statutory Records

• Certificate of Incorporation and Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI)
• CIPC registration documents
• VAT registration certificate
• Annual financial statements (not publicly available — see grounds for refusal)
• Director and officer information held at CIPC

B — User and Platform Records

• User account information (name, email, phone, property preferences)
• Property listings submitted by private sellers, landlords, and agents
• Enquiry and communication logs between users
• AI search history and preferences stored in browser localStorage
• Consent decisions (analytics consent, cookie preferences)
• Reports made by users regarding fraudulent listings

C — Financial and Transactional Records

• Records of subscription or listing fees paid to Ikhayalami
• Invoices and receipts issued to registered agents and listers
• Payment processing records (held by third-party payment processor)

D — Technical and Security Records

• Server access logs and error logs (retained for 30 days)
• Google Analytics 4 aggregated data (no personal identifiers)
• Fraud investigation records (retained for 5 years per Privacy Policy)
• Data breach incident reports and notifications to the Information Regulator

E — Employment Records

• Employment contracts and HR records
• Payroll records
• UIF and SARS records
• Health and safety records

Any person may request access to a record held by Ikhayalami. A request must be made using the prescribed PAIA Form 2: Request for Access to Record under Regulation 7 and must identify the right to be exercised or protected and why the requested record is required for that purpose.

The Information Regulator publishes the prescribed fee structure. The amounts below reflect the current private-body schedule available when this manual was revised; the official schedule in force on the date of a request will apply.

Access may be refused only on a ground permitted by PAIA. If access is refused, our decision notice will identify the applicable ground and provide reasons, subject to any lawful limitation on those reasons.

• Third-party privacy (§63): Personal information of a natural person where disclosure would be an unreasonable invasion of privacy
• Third-party commercial information (§64): Trade secrets or commercial, financial, scientific or technical information where disclosure would cause the harm contemplated by PAIA
• Confidential third-party information (§65): Information supplied in confidence where disclosure would breach a duty of confidence owed to that third party
• Safety and property (§66): Information whose disclosure could endanger an individual's life or physical safety, or prejudice the security of protected property or systems
• Legally privileged records (§67): Communications protected by legal professional privilege, unless the privilege has been waived
• Commercial activities of the private body (§68): Ikhayalami's trade secrets or information whose disclosure would cause the commercial harm described by PAIA
• Research information (§69): Research records where premature disclosure would expose the body, researcher or subject matter to serious disadvantage

If we refuse access, grant only partial access, impose a disputed fee, or do not answer within the statutory period, the following remedies are available:

• Ask us to resolve the matter: Contact the Information Officer at info@ikhayalami.properties with the request reference and the aspect you dispute.
• Complaint to the Information Regulator: A private-body requester does not have a compulsory internal appeal. You may lodge the prescribed PAIA Form 5 complaint with the Regulator after a refusal, deemed refusal or other reviewable decision.
• Court application: You may seek appropriate relief from a competent court in accordance with PAIA, including after a decision of the Regulator where applicable.

This manual is made available through the following channels:

• Online: ikhayalami.properties/paia
• Official languages: Use the language selector to view the manual in South Africa's official languages; the PDF export reflects the active language
• Email or print: Request a copy from info@ikhayalami.properties
• Information Regulator: A copy will be provided to the Regulator on request and may be administered through the Regulator's eServices portal
• Registration evidence: The Information Officer Registration Certificate is available here

This manual was revised on 21 July 2026. The Information Officer will review it regularly and update it when the organisation, processing activities, law or prescribed procedures materially change.