Terms and Conditions of Use

Effective Date: April 2025 — gazette-search.com

1. Definitions

In these Terms and Conditions, the following definitions apply:

• “Platform” means the Gazette Search website, software, database, tools, and all related services accessible at gazette-search.com and any associated subdomains or applications.
• “We”, “Us”, or “Our” refers to Gazette Search, its owners, directors, and authorised representatives.
• “You” or “User” refers to any individual, company, organisation, or legal entity that accesses or uses the Platform, whether on a free or paid basis.
• “Subscription” means any paid plan selected by the User, including Starter, Professional, Business, or Enterprise tiers.
• “Content” means all data, text, information, search results, notices, records, reports, and outputs made available through the Platform.
• “Intellectual Property” includes all software code, database architecture, algorithms, designs, trademarks, trade names, methods, processes, and compilations owned by or licensed to Us.

2. Acceptance of Terms

By registering for an account, accessing, browsing, or using the Platform in any way, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions, together with our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must immediately cease using the Platform.

If you are accepting these Terms on behalf of a company or other legal entity, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind that entity to these Terms.

3. Intellectual Property Rights

3.1 Ownership

The Platform, including but not limited to its software, source code, database structure, algorithms, search functionality, user interface design, data compilation methodology, professional directory, watchlist system, API, and all associated documentation, is the exclusive intellectual property of Gazette Search. All rights are reserved.

Nothing in these Terms transfers any intellectual property rights to You. Your use of the Platform grants You only a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable licence to access and use the Platform strictly in accordance with these Terms.

3.2 Prohibition on Copying and Reproduction

You are strictly prohibited from:

• Copying, reproducing, duplicating, or reverse-engineering any part of the Platform, including its source code, database structure, search algorithms, user interface, or data compilation methods;
• Scraping, harvesting, or systematically downloading data from the Platform using automated tools, bots, scripts, spiders, or any other automated means without our prior written consent;
• Creating any derivative work, adaptation, or modification of the Platform or any part thereof;
• Decompiling, disassembling, or attempting to extract the source code of the Platform;
• Framing or mirroring any part of the Platform on any other website or application without our express written permission.

3.3 Prohibition on Resale and Rebranding

You are strictly prohibited from:

• Reselling, sublicensing, redistributing, or otherwise commercialising access to the Platform or any of its Content without our prior written authorisation;
• Rebranding, white-labelling, or presenting the Platform or its Content as your own product or service;
• Building, developing, or marketing a competing platform that is substantially similar to or derived from the Platform or its methodology;
• Selling, transferring, or assigning your account or Subscription to any third party;
• Using the Platform to build or populate a competing database or product offering.

Any unauthorised copying, cloning, rebranding, or resale of the Platform or its Content constitutes a material breach of these Terms and a violation of applicable intellectual property law, for which we reserve the right to pursue all available legal remedies.

3.4 Government Gazette Data

While Government Gazette notices are public government documents, the compilation, organisation, structuring, search indexing, cross-referencing, and presentation of such data within the Platform constitutes an original database and an original work protected under South African copyright law, including the Copyright Act 98 of 1978, as amended. Reproducing or extracting this compiled dataset in whole or in part is prohibited without our written consent.

4. Licence and Permitted Use

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable licence to access and use the Platform for your own internal business or professional purposes.

Permitted uses include:

• Searching and retrieving gazette notices relevant to your professional or business activities;
• Downloading or exporting data for your own internal record-keeping (subject to plan limits);
• Using the API to integrate Platform data into your own internal systems, strictly for internal use only.

This licence does not include the right to use the Platform or its Content for any commercial resale, distribution, or service-offering to third parties unless you have entered into a separate written reseller or white-label agreement with Us.

5. User Accounts and Security

To access the Platform, you must register and create an account. You agree to:

• Provide accurate, complete, and up-to-date registration information;
• Keep your login credentials confidential and not share them with any third party;
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorised use of your account;
• Be responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account if we suspect any unauthorised use, breach of these Terms, or fraudulent activity.

6. Subscriptions and Payment

Certain features of the Platform are available only on a paid Subscription basis. By selecting a paid plan, you agree to pay the applicable fees as set out on our pricing page, which may be updated from time to time.

• Subscriptions are billed in advance on a monthly or quarterly basis as specified at checkout;
• All fees are exclusive of VAT, which will be charged where applicable;
• Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled before the renewal date;
• No refunds will be issued for partial months or unused credits, except where required by applicable law;
• We reserve the right to modify pricing with reasonable prior notice. Continued use of the Platform after a price change constitutes acceptance of the new pricing.

7. Prohibited Conduct

In addition to the restrictions in Section 3, you must not:

• Use the Platform for any unlawful, fraudulent, or harmful purpose;
• Use the Platform to harass, stalk, or target individuals in contravention of applicable law;
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the Platform, its servers, or related systems;
• Introduce viruses, malicious code, or other harmful material into the Platform;
• Use the Platform in any way that could damage, overburden, or impair its infrastructure;
• Circumvent any technical measures or access controls implemented on the Platform;
• Misrepresent your identity or affiliation when using the Platform.

8. Data Accuracy and Disclaimer

The Platform aggregates and indexes data sourced from official South African Government Gazettes and other public sources. While we take reasonable steps to ensure accuracy and completeness, we make no warranty, express or implied, that:

• All gazette notices are captured, complete, or free from error;
• The information on the Platform is current, up-to-date, or reflects the latest published gazettes;
• Search results are exhaustive or that the absence of a result confirms a person's status.

Users are solely responsible for independently verifying critical information before relying on it for legal, financial, or commercial decisions. The Platform is a research aid and does not constitute legal advice.

9. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law:

• The Platform is provided “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind;
• We shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages arising from your use of or inability to use the Platform;
• Our total aggregate liability to you for any claim arising under or in connection with these Terms shall not exceed the total fees paid by you in the three (3) months preceding the event giving rise to the claim.

Nothing in these Terms limits liability for death, personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded under applicable law.

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Gazette Search and its owners, employees, contractors, and agents from and against any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from:

• Your use of the Platform in violation of these Terms;
• Your violation of any applicable law or third-party right;
• Any content you submit to or through the Platform.

11. Privacy and Data Protection

Your use of the Platform is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using the Platform, you consent to our collection and use of your information as described in the Privacy Policy.

We process personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA). We do not sell or share your personal information with third parties except as described in our Privacy Policy or as required by law.

12. Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your access to the Platform at any time, with or without notice, if we reasonably believe you have breached these Terms or if required by law.

Upon termination:

• Your licence to use the Platform immediately ceases;
• You must immediately stop using the Platform and delete any downloaded Content;
• Sections 3, 9, 10, and 14 of these Terms survive termination.

You may cancel your account at any time through the Platform settings. Cancellation does not entitle you to a refund of prepaid fees.

13. Modifications to the Platform and Terms

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Platform at any time without notice. We also reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. Updated Terms will be posted on the Platform with a revised effective date.

Your continued use of the Platform after any changes to these Terms constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not agree to the revised Terms, you must stop using the Platform.

14. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms and Conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any dispute arising from or related to these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the South African courts.

Before initiating legal proceedings, the parties agree to attempt to resolve any dispute through good-faith negotiation. If unresolved within 30 days, either party may pursue formal legal remedies.

15. General Provisions

• Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Gazette Search with respect to the use of the Platform.
• Severability: If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.
• Waiver: Failure to enforce any provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that or any other provision.
• Assignment: You may not assign or transfer your rights under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign our rights and obligations without restriction.
• Force Majeure: We will not be liable for any failure to perform our obligations due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

16. Contact Information

For any questions, concerns, or legal notices regarding these Terms and Conditions, please contact:

Gazette Search
Website: gazette-search.com
Email: legal@gazette-search.com