Privacy Notice

Privacy Notice

UCS Africa | Unsolved Crime Support

Responsible organisation: Unsolved Crimes Specialists – UCS (Pty) Ltd

Organisational address: Lynnwood Ridge, Gauteng, South Africa, 0181
Registration number: 2022/348333/07
Country: South Africa
Information Officer: The designated Information Officer is registered with the Information Regulator of South Africa. Privacy enquiries may be directed to the Information Officer using the contact details below.
Privacy enquiries: verification@ucsafrica.co.za
Email subject: PRIVACY REQUEST

1. About this notice

This Privacy Notice explains how UCS Africa collects, uses and handles personal information received through its website, email correspondence, public-record documentation activities and preliminary support enquiries.

UCS Africa is the public-facing identity of Unsolved Crimes Specialists – UCS (Pty) Ltd.

We recognise that information concerning missing persons, victims, families and particularly children requires careful handling.

2. Information we may collect

Depending on the nature of an interaction, information may include:

• Names and contact details supplied in correspondence

• The subject and content of enquiries or correction requests

• References to existing UCS publications

• Information contained in identifiable, publicly available sources relevant to our documentation work

• Administrative records necessary to respond to enquiries and maintain accountability

An initial family-support enquiry should contain only the sender's name, contact email address and a brief, non-sensitive explanation of the request. 

Online preliminary enquiry forms

UCS Africa may receive preliminary support enquiries through Google Forms embedded in or linked from its website.

The form requests the respondent's name, email address and a brief, non-sensitive explanation of the enquiry.

UCS uses this information to assess the nature of the request, consider eligibility and safeguarding requirements, and determine whether a response or further engagement is appropriate.

Respondents must not submit confidential case records or identifying information about missing persons through this form.

Submission does not constitute acceptance of a case for review.

Providing information for a preliminary enquiry is voluntary. However, without sufficient basic information to understand and respond to a request, UCS may be unable to assess the enquiry or provide a response.

Please provide only information relevant to your enquiry and avoid identifying children or sharing confidential case details at this stage.

Please do not send confidential case records, photographs, identity numbers, children's personal information or other sensitive records unless UCS has expressly provided an appropriate and authorised submission process.

Website use, cookies and technical information

The UCS Africa website is operated using Google Sites.

UCS has not enabled Google Analytics tracking through Google Sites.

Google and other service providers involved in delivering the website may process technical information necessary to operate and secure their services. This may include IP addresses, browser information, device information and cookies or similar technologies.

For information about Google's privacy practices, visit https://policies.google.com/privacy

3. Why we use information

We may use information, where lawful and appropriate, to:

• Respond to enquiries and correspondence

• Consider eligibility for preliminary case review or free documentation support

• Document and review publicly available information

• Verify sources, identify discrepancies and maintain accurate documentation

• Review correction requests and privacy concerns

• Maintain necessary administrative and safeguarding records

• Meet applicable legal obligations

A preliminary enquiry does not automatically constitute acceptance of a case or authorisation to submit confidential records.

4. Our approach to children's information

UCS applies particular caution to information concerning children.

We seek to minimise unnecessary collection, identification, disclosure and republication of children's personal information.

Where further information is necessary for a particular support request, UCS must first establish appropriate authority, safeguarding requirements and a lawful basis for processing.

The fact that information about a child is publicly accessible does not automatically mean that UCS may reproduce or use it without restriction.

5. Public-record documentation

UCS reviews information obtained from identifiable public sources, including official missing-person notices and published communications.

We distinguish documented information from unverified reports and do not assume that a person's status remains unchanged simply because an older public notice remains available.

Information in the public domain is assessed for relevance, accuracy, necessity and safeguarding risk before republication.

6. Sharing information

UCS does not provide donors or members of the public with privileged access to confidential case records.

Information may be shared only where an appropriate lawful basis exists, the disclosure is necessary for a defined purpose and relevant safeguarding requirements have been met.

UCS does not sell personal information.

External service providers and international processing

UCS uses external technology providers to operate its website, business email and associated administrative services.

These include Google Sites for website services, Google Forms for preliminary online enquiries, and Titan, accessed through GoDaddy Professional Email, for business email.

Information submitted through Google Forms is stored and processed using Google's services. This may include respondents' names, email addresses, enquiry descriptions and submission-related technical information.

Access to submitted responses is restricted to authorised UCS personnel. Information collected through the form is used for preliminary enquiry assessment and related administrative and safeguarding purposes.

Depending on the services provided, these providers may process website technical information, form responses, email correspondence, attachments and related account information necessary to operate their respective services.

Personal information may be processed or stored outside South Africa, depending on the service provider's infrastructure and arrangements.

UCS is responsible for assessing applicable data-protection requirements and appropriate safeguards before using external services to process sensitive or confidential case information.

The use of an external service provider does not grant donors or unrelated third parties permission to access confidential case records.

7. Information security and retention

UCS seeks to protect personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, loss or misuse through appropriate technical and organisational safeguards.

Access to correspondence and administrative records should be restricted to authorised persons with a legitimate operational need.

UCS assesses the retention of personal information according to the purpose for which it was collected, the continuing need for the information, applicable legal requirements and any legitimate preservation obligations.

Different categories of information may require different retention periods, including preliminary enquiries, administrative correspondence, published-source documentation, correction requests and safeguarding records.

Preliminary enquiries submitted through Google Forms are subject to UCS Africa's information-handling and retention procedures. Access is restricted to authorised personnel, and responses are reviewed according to their purpose, safeguarding implications and continuing lawful retention requirements.

Submission of an enquiry does not authorise UCS to collect additional confidential case material. Records must not be retained indefinitely merely because they remain accessible through the form.

Information that is no longer required for a lawful purpose should be securely deleted, de-identified or otherwise dealt with in accordance with applicable law.

Requests concerning access, correction, deletion or restriction of personal information will be considered in accordance with applicable legal requirements and any relevant record-preservation obligations.

UCS does not represent ordinary email correspondence as a secure method for transmitting confidential case files. Sensitive records must not be submitted unless UCS has expressly authorised an appropriate submission process.

8. Requests for access or correction

Individuals may contact UCS to request access to, correction of or deletion of personal information, or to raise concerns about its processing, subject to applicable legal requirements.

Email: verification@ucsafrica.co.za

Suggested subject: PRIVACY REQUEST

Please describe the concern without including unnecessary sensitive information. 

Where applicable under POPIA, individuals may also object to certain processing activities or withdraw consent where consent is the lawful basis for processing.

Requests will be considered in accordance with applicable law, including any lawful grounds for retaining information or restricting access.

UCS may request appropriate verification of identity or authority before disclosing, correcting or deleting personal information.

9. Complaints

Individuals who have concerns about the processing of their personal information may contact the UCS Information Officer at verification@ucsafrica.co.za.

Individuals may also lodge a complaint directly with the Information Regulator (South Africa).

POPIA complaints email: POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za

Website: https://inforegulator.org.za/complaints/

Complaints should provide sufficient information to identify the concern without unnecessarily disclosing additional sensitive personal information.

10. Changes to this notice

UCS may revise this notice when its services, information-handling procedures or applicable legal requirements change.

The current version will be made available through the UCS Africa website.

Privacy Notice — Version 1.1

Effective date: 15 November 2026