1. Introduction & Scope

At Gielix (Pty) Ltd, we build practical, intuitive, and high-quality mobile applications designed to simplify everyday tasks—from farm operations (FarmManager) and domestic staff management (Domestica) to complex utility metering (UtilityHub) and beyond.

We firmly believe that your personal, household, and business data belongs to you—and only you. We are deeply committed to protecting your privacy and upholding the principle of User Data Sovereignty.

This Privacy Policy applies to all mobile applications, software, and digital solutions published by Gielix (Pty) Ltd (collectively referred to as our “Applications” or “Apps”), as well as our official website (www.gielix.co.za).

2. Our Core Privacy Philosophy: “Local-First & Zero-Access”

Unlike traditional cloud-based platforms that harvest user data, Gielix applications are built on a strict Local-First Architecture:

  • No Gielix Cloud Database: We do not operate remote central databases or servers that collect, track, or store your daily logs, employee records, payroll figures, farm yields, or utility readings.
  • Zero Access by Gielix: We cannot view, inspect, extract, or access the data you enter into any of our applications.
  • No Third-Party Exposure or Data Selling: We never sell, rent, monetize, broker, or transmit your data to advertisers, data brokers, insurance providers, analytics companies, or any other third parties.

Your data remains stored safely, privately, and exclusively on your physical device.

3. What Information Is Handled and Where It Resides

A. On-Device Application Data (Stored Locally Only)

Depending on which Gielix application you use, you may input operational and personal records:

  • Domestica: Employee names, contact details, ID/passport numbers, work schedules, attendance logs, leave records, wage rates, loan deductions, and generated payslips.
  • FarmManager: Yield logs, crop inputs, harvest records, soil data, field boundaries, machinery tracking, and operational expenses.
  • UtilityHub: Meter identifiers, apartment/unit references, utility consumption readings (electricity and water), and billing notes.
  • Other Gielix Apps: Any notes, tasks, checklists, or administrative entries created while using our applications.

Storage Location: All of this information is stored exclusively within your device’s sandboxed local database (e.g., SQLite / Room) in protected device storage. It is never automatically transmitted to Gielix or external servers.

B. Device & Technical Telemetry

  • No Advertising Trackers: We do not collect advertising identifiers (such as Google AAID or Apple IDFA), device fingerprints, or tracking cookies for profiling.
  • Standard Crash Diagnostics (Anonymous): In the rare event of an unexpected crash, non-personally identifiable diagnostic stack traces (such as device model, OS version, and crash location) may be collected via Google Play Console or Apple App Store. This platform telemetry contains no personal names, database records, or identifiable data.

4. Explicit Disclosures: When Data Leaves Your Device

We maintain an uncompromising rule: No data ever leaves your device without your explicit, intentional, and direct action.

The only situations where data or communication exits your device are described transparently below:

1. User-Initiated Sharing & Exporting

When you choose to share a payslip, send an assigned task, export a report, or generate a PDF/CSV file (for example, tapping “Share Payslip PDF”, “Send via WhatsApp”, or “Email Task”):

  • You explicitly trigger this action by tapping the respective share or export command.
  • The application passes the document or formatted message to your device’s standard operating system Share Sheet or your chosen third-party app (such as WhatsApp, Gmail, or your preferred mail client).
  • The transmission occurs directly between your device and the recipient/service you selected. Gielix is never an intermediary or recipient.

2. Operating System Cloud Backups (User-Managed)

If you have enabled automated cloud backups on your phone (such as Google Drive Backup on Android or Apple iCloud Backup on iOS), the operating system may include application data within your personal backup snapshot. These backups are encrypted and tied exclusively to your personal Google or Apple account. Gielix has no access to your personal cloud backups or login credentials.

3. In-App Purchases & Subscriptions

When you purchase an app, subscribe, or unlock premium features, all financial transactions are processed securely and directly by the official app stores:

  • Google Play Billing (Google LLC) on Android
  • In-App Purchase (Apple Inc.) on iOS

Your payment methods, banking details, and credit card numbers are handled solely by Google or Apple under their privacy policies. Gielix never sees or stores your payment card credentials; we only receive an anonymous cryptographic receipt verifying subscription status.

4. Direct Customer Support Communications

If you voluntarily email us for technical assistance or submit an inquiry via our website, we receive only the details you provide (such as your email address and message). This information is used strictly to assist you and resolve your inquiry. We never share or sell support inquiries.

5. Device Permissions & Transparency

Our applications only request permissions essential for offline features to function:

  • Storage / Media: Required only to save generated PDF documents (such as payslips or reports) or export files to your device storage upon your explicit request.
  • Camera / Photos (In applicable apps): Used only when you choose to capture or attach a photo (such as a utility meter photo in UtilityHub or a crop photo in FarmManager). All images remain stored locally on your device.
  • Network / Internet: In apps that require network access, it is used strictly for verifying subscription licenses with Google Play / Apple or loading public map tiles when requested by the user.

We do not request or access background location tracking, contacts, microphone, or SMS reading permissions.

6. Data Security & Storage Integrity

Because all data is stored on-device, security is ensured through modern operating system sandboxing and file encryption:

  • Application Sandboxing: Each Gielix app runs in an isolated, protected application sandbox, preventing unauthorized third-party apps on your phone from accessing its database.
  • On-Device Encryption: All local databases leverage hardware-backed storage encryption (such as AES-256) standard on modern Android and iOS devices.
  • User Responsibility: Because data is stored locally, you are responsible for maintaining the physical security of your smartphone (e.g., using strong PINs, biometric locks, and keeping your device updated).

7. Data Retention, Deletion & Your Rights

Because you have complete ownership of your local database, you maintain absolute control over your records:

  • Access & Export: You can view and export all records directly from the app (PDF, CSV, JSON) at any time.
  • Rectification: You can edit or update any entry at any time within the app.
  • Permanent Deletion: You can delete specific records inside the application, or completely erase all data by clearing application storage or uninstalling the app.
  • Notice: Because Gielix does not store copies of your data on remote servers, once you delete data or uninstall the app without a backup, Gielix cannot recover that data.

8. Statutory Compliance (POPIA, PAIA & Global Regulations)

Gielix (Pty) Ltd is a South African registered company. Our zero-exposure, local-first architecture embodies the core principles of:

  • Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) & PAIA: By ensuring that personal data entered into our apps remains strictly on the user’s local device, there is zero risk of third-party exposure or centralized breaches. For formal corporate information requests, please consult our PAIA Manual.
  • GDPR & Global Standards: Our architecture strictly follows Privacy by Design and Data Minimisation principles.
  • Google Play & Apple App Store: This policy strictly complies with Google Play and Apple Developer Privacy guidelines.

9. Children’s Privacy

Our applications are productivity and operational tools intended for use by adults, employers, and businesses. We do not knowingly collect or solicit personal information from children under 18.

10. Contact Us & Policy Updates

We may update this policy periodically to reflect new applications or feature enhancements. Any updates will be posted on our website with a revised effective date.

If you have any questions or require data protection information, please contact us: