Who is responsible for this website

This website is operated by Astros Marketing (Pty) Ltd, 2 Makro Place, Sunnyrock 1401. Populism Polls provides public opinion polling and survey research from Braamfontein in Johannesburg, with work carried out nationally across all nine provinces.

For the purposes of this website and related enquiries, the operator is responsible for handling personal information in a lawful and reasonable manner. Where POPIA applies, personal information will be processed only for a specific purpose, only to the extent needed for that purpose, and with appropriate safeguards.

Information we collect

We may collect personal information directly from you when you submit an enquiry through our contact page, request information about our services, or participate in research activities such as polls, surveys, interviews or focus groups. The information collected will depend on the nature of your interaction with us.

Contact details you provide in an enquiry
Organisation and role information relevant to a project request
Research responses given in a survey, interview or discussion
Operational records such as dates, communication history and consent records
Technical website information such as IP address, browser type and basic usage logs

We do not ask for more information than is reasonably required for the service, research process or legal obligation concerned.

How we use personal information

Personal information is used to respond to enquiries, manage research projects, conduct fieldwork, prepare reports and maintain proper records. Where we collect research data, we use it for research purposes only and in accordance with the scope explained to participants and clients.

To reply to enquiries submitted through the website
To plan and carry out polling and survey research
To recruit and manage participants where relevant
To verify quality, prevent duplicate responses and protect research integrity
To meet legal, regulatory and contractual duties

We are non-partisan. We do not campaign, canvass or predict election results, and we do not publish client data. If results are reported to a client, they are accompanied by method notes where appropriate and handled in line with agreed confidentiality terms.

Lawful basis, consent and special care

Where POPIA requires a lawful ground for processing, we rely on one or more recognised grounds such as consent, the conclusion or performance of a contract, compliance with a legal obligation, or our legitimate interest in running lawful research and related administration.

Where consent is needed, it will be requested in a clear form suited to the channel used, including phone, online or face-to-face fieldwork. Participation in research is voluntary unless another lawful basis applies. If a participant chooses not to answer a question or wishes to stop participation, that choice will be respected subject to project rules already explained at the time.

Where information may be sensitive, extra care is taken in collection, access control and reporting.

Sharing, storage and security

We do not sell personal information. We may share information only where it is necessary for the operation of a research project, for secure hosting or administration, or where disclosure is required by law. Any service provider used for support functions must handle information confidentially and only for authorised purposes.

Access to information is limited to authorised personnel and approved operators
Reasonable technical and organisational safeguards are applied
Research records are stored only for as long as needed for the stated purpose, legal duty or dispute handling
Identifiable information is kept separate from reporting outputs where practicable

Because online transmission and storage carry some risk, no method can be guaranteed completely secure. Even so, we take reasonable steps to protect information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration and unlawful disclosure.

Your rights under POPIA

Subject to POPIA and any other applicable law, you may request access to personal information held about you, ask for correction of inaccurate details, object to certain processing, or request deletion where there is no lawful reason for continued retention. You may also withdraw consent where processing is based on consent, although this will not affect processing already carried out lawfully.

If you believe your personal information has been handled improperly, you may raise the matter through the enquiry form on our contact page. We will consider the request and respond in line with applicable legal requirements. Where required, you may also lodge a complaint with the relevant regulator.

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements or operational practice. The latest version on this page applies to your use of the website and to related interactions with Populism Polls.