1. Introduction
This manual has been prepared in terms of section 51 of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 ("PAIA") for Prepped Exams Pty (Ltd), registration number 2026/158241/07, trading as Prepped Exams.
Its purpose is to help requesters understand what records we hold, how access requests can be made, what categories of personal information we process, and what remedies may be available if access is refused or a requester is dissatisfied.
2. Private Body Details
3. Head of Private Body / Information Officer
For purposes of this manual, the head of the private body acts as the Information Officer unless another lawful designation applies.
If the named Information Officer or any deputy designation changes, this manual should be updated promptly so that the published details stay accurate.
4. Guide on How to Use PAIA
The Information Regulator has published the guide contemplated in PAIA to assist requesters in understanding how to exercise rights under PAIA and POPIA.
The guide can be obtained from the Information Regulator's official website at inforegulator.org.za, or by contacting the Information Regulator directly using the contact details published there.
5. Categories of Records Available Without a Formal PAIA Request
Subject to the website being available, the following categories of records may generally be accessed without a formal PAIA request:
- public website content and marketing pages;
- published legal documents, including this manual, the Privacy Policy, and the Terms of Service;
- public product or subscription information made available on the site;
- public contact details intentionally published by Prepped Exams; and
- other records or information that we elect to make openly available from time to time.
6. Records Available in Terms of Other Legislation
Depending on our operations, we may hold records in terms of legislation that includes, without limitation:
- Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000;
- Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013;
- Companies Act, 2008;
- Consumer Protection Act, 2008;
- Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, 2002;
- Copyright Act, 1978;
- Income Tax Act, 1962 and Tax Administration Act, 2011;
- Value-Added Tax Act, 1991, where applicable;
- Basic Conditions of Employment Act, 1997, where applicable;
- Labour Relations Act, 1995, where applicable; and
- other legislation reasonably applicable to our business from time to time.
7. Subjects and Categories of Records Held by the Private Body
The categories below are examples of records that may be held by Prepped Exams. Inclusion in this list does not mean that a requester will automatically be granted access to any particular record.
Corporate and governance records
- company incorporation and statutory records;
- shareholder, director, and governance records;
- policies, manuals, and internal governance documents;
- contracts, commercial agreements, and supplier records.
Financial, accounting, and tax records
- invoices, receipts, ledgers, reconciliations, and statements;
- banking and payment settlement records;
- tax and statutory compliance records;
- records relating to discounts, sponsorships, refunds, reversals, or chargebacks.
Customer, user, and subscription records
- account registration details and profile records;
- subscription package records and access entitlements;
- payment references and transaction administration records;
- support requests, complaints, and correspondence.
Educational and platform records
- exam, practice, and session records;
- question, answer, analytics, and progress records;
- teacher, tutor, trainer, sponsor, and linked-user relationship records;
- content moderation, review, and audit records.
Creator and contributor records
- creator applications, onboarding records, permissions, and review workflow records;
- creator payout, referral, and revenue-share records where applicable;
- submitted content and associated moderation or ownership records.
Human resources and administration records
- employment, contractor, and recruitment records where applicable;
- internal operational, security, and administrative records.
8. Processing of Personal Information in Terms of POPIA
Purpose of processing
- to register and manage accounts;
- to provide subscriptions, exam practice, analytics, and linked platform services;
- to process payments and administer commercial relationships;
- to secure the platform, prevent abuse, and maintain audit trails;
- to communicate with users and handle support or legal requests;
- to meet legal, tax, accounting, and regulatory duties.
Categories of data subjects and personal information
- students, learners, and other users: identity and account details, learning records, analytics, and subscription records;
- parents, sponsors, teachers, tutors, and trainers: relationship records, contact details, and relevant linked-user information;
- creators, applicants, and contributors: application, review, payout, and content workflow records;
- employees, contractors, suppliers, and advisers: operational and commercial records relevant to the relationship.
Recipients or categories of recipients
- payment processors and payment verification partners;
- hosting, infrastructure, cloud storage, email, monitoring, analytics, and support operators;
- teachers, tutors, trainers, sponsors, or linked accounts where platform functionality requires it;
- professional advisers and authorities where lawfully required or permitted.
Planned transborder flows
Some operators used by the platform may process or store data outside South Africa. Where such cross-border flows occur, they will be managed in accordance with POPIA and other applicable law.
General description of information security measures
We use reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. These may include access controls, role-based permissions, HTTPS, password hashing, security monitoring, session controls, logging, and operational safeguards.
9. How to Request Access to Records
A requester who needs access to a record held by Prepped Exams must submit a written request to the Information Officer using the contact details above.
The request should provide enough information to enable us to identify:
- the record requested;
- the identity and contact details of the requester;
- the right that the requester seeks to exercise or protect, where PAIA requires this for a private body request;
- why the requested record is required for the exercise or protection of that right;
- the preferred form of access, where relevant; and
- any proof of authority where the requester acts on behalf of another person.
Requests can be sent to legal@preppedexams.co.za.
10. Fees
Access fees, request fees, and reproduction fees may become payable where permitted by PAIA and the applicable regulations. If a fee is payable, the requester will be informed of the amount and the basis on which it is charged before access is granted, to the extent required by law.
11. Grounds for Refusal
Access to records may be refused where PAIA allows or requires refusal. This may include records containing the personal information of third parties, commercially confidential information, legally privileged material, security- sensitive information, or records whose disclosure would otherwise be unlawful or unjustifiably harmful.
12. Remedies Available
If a requester is dissatisfied with the outcome of a request or a POPIA-related matter, the requester may exercise the remedies available under PAIA and POPIA, including submitting a complaint to the Information Regulator and, where appropriate, approaching a court with jurisdiction.
13. Availability of This Manual
This manual is made available:
- on the website;
- by email upon request to the Information Officer; and
- at the registered address of Prepped Exams by reasonable arrangement where applicable.
This version is published in English. Additional language versions may be added later if required.