General

1. FunDza is a non-profit organisation that promotes reading, writing and literacy in South Africa. Its full name is the FunDza Literacy Trust (Trust no: IT814/2011, nonprofit number: 095-260-NPO, and public benefit organisation number: 930039651) and its office is at 85 Main Road, Muizenberg, Cape Town.
2. FunDza’s services include sharing content (like stories, essays, blogs and user comments) on its website found at live.fundza.mobi, Android app (search for “FunDzApp in the Google Play store), app on FreeBasics.com (found at 0.freebasics.com), app on Moya Messenger (datafree with Telkom, MTN, Cell C, Vodacom), business channel on WhatsApp (0600 54 86 76), and the fundza.lite offline site. It also shares content on its social media platforms like Facebook (found at: www.facebook.com/FunDzaLiteracyTrust) and Twitter (found at: twitter.com/FunDzaClub).
3. FunDza also offers events, competitions, online courses and other services to promote reading, writing and language learning in South Africa.

Follow FunDza’s rules

4. These terms and conditions (or rules) rules apply to anyone who uses FunDza’s services.
5. If you don’t agree with FunDza’s rules, you aren’t allowed to use its services.
6. FunDza may block its services to anyone who doesn’t follow these rules.
7. FunDza competitions are governed by these rules and the conditions of that specific competition.
8. South African law governs these rules.
9. FunDza may change these rules any time by publishing the new rules on its website.

Age restrictions

10. To use FunDza’s services, you must be at least 13 years old.
11. If you’re younger than 18 or can’t enter contracts alone, you must have permission from your parents or guardian to use FunDza’s services and to agree to these rules.

Privacy and personal information

12. FunDza takes your privacy seriously and takes reasonable care to protect it where appropriate.
13. By using FunDza’s services, you give it permission (consent) to collect, use and share your personal information.
14. FunDza only uses personal information in terms of the law, but it cannot guarantee your privacy in all circumstances. FunDza uses most of your personal information to provide its services and do statistical research on use of its services. Individual users cannot normally be identified from these statistics.
15. In some cases FunDza may send your personal information to other countries, for example when you access its services through Facebook.
16. FunDza may intercept any communication you send or receive using its facilities or services, if the law allows this.

Personal information that FunDza uses

17. FunDza collects and uses information such as your username, nickname, cell phone number, general location, internet protocol (‘IP’) address, gender, date of birth, nationality, comments, reading history, interests, technical usage data and similar information.
18. If you win a competition or submit writing for publication, FunDza may collect extra information about you, including your name, identity number, photograph, street address or email address. FunDza needs this information to award prizes or for promotional purposes, but aims to keep the information private if appropriate.

Your privacy and safety is also your responsibility

19. You are also responsible for your own privacy by not sharing personal information too widely.
20. If you do not want your real name linked to any writing you send FunDza, you must use a different pseudonym or ‘pen name’ (also known as a ‘nom de plume’).
21. If you are under 18, you shouldn’t post personal information that can be used to contact or identify you unless your parent or guardian has given you permission.
22. FunDza advises you not to post personal contact information on FunDza’s website or services, such as your cell phone number, email address or home address. FunDza holds the right to delete such information if it deems fit when it comes across it on its site or through its platforms.

Sending content to FunDza

23. You may send FunDza your original writing or comments for publication. This is called ‘content’. You should always keep a copy of any writing you send FunDza.
24. You can submit your work for publication in the following ways: by email to writing@fundza.co.za; or by post to FunDza Fanz Writing, 85 Main Road, Muizenberg, 7945; or by fax to: 086 619 7713.
25. You can also submit your work through this online form: click here to access the form. Importantly, this form is not hosted by FunDza but by Cognito forms but it is able to collect your data and send us your work.
26. If you send us your content it may be edited and uploaded as ‘Fanz’ writing. This means that it will be marked as ‘Fanz’ work.
27. If you send us Fanz work for publication you will not receive payment if your work is published.
28. FunDza staff edit all work that is sent to it and they may provide authors with feedback on the work.
29. Publishers may send FunDza original writing by authors they represent if they have worldwide publication rights.
30. FunDza does not have to publish any content you send it.
31. If you are quoting from someone else’s writing, please name the author and if possible send a link to the author or their publisher’s website.
32. You should always respect the rights and feelings of others.

Copyright and intellectual property

33. You always own copyright in your original content you send FunDza.
34. By sending FunDza content, you give it a licence (permission) to publish the content on any FunDza service anywhere in the world, for free.
35. The publishing rights includes giving FunDza the right to publish the content as part of a FunDza print publication, anthology or booklet in association with a print publishing partner, for free. If your work is included in a FunDza print publication, FunDza will endeavour to provide you with a copy of the work at no cost. In order to do so, FunDza must have your latest contact details.
36. You can withdraw permission by sending an email to writing@fundza.co.za and FunDza will do its best to delete all your content on its services as soon as possible.
37. Copyright, trade marks and all other intellectual property rights in all content on FunDza services belong to it unless the author or owner is clearly stated.

FunDza may remove content

38. FunDza believes in freedom of speech and artistic freedom within acceptable limits, and is opposed to censorship. FunDza does not have to censor any material that is lawful.
39. But FunDza can always refuse content or remove any content it publishes, and it doesn’t have to give reasons.
40. FunDza does its best to check (moderate) all content submitted. But FunDza does not have to check all content and is not responsible for content created by users.

Abusive content

41. You must not send FunDza any content that is ‘hate speech’, or that insults, threatens, defames, harasses, bullies or unfairly discriminates against any person or group (for example on the basis of belief, race, sexuality or gender).
42. Don’t send content that is obscene, sexually explicit or violent without good reason (for example as an essential element of a plot).
43. You are not allowed to possess or send FunDza unlawful content (such as child pornography or bomb threats). FunDza will report you to the police if you do.
44. Don’t send FunDza any spam, marketing messages, viruses or similar content.
45. Don’t send or copy any writing or other work by someone else, unless you have their permission.
46. If you think any writing, comment or other content is illegal, offensive or undesirable for other reasons, please report it to info@fundza.co.za and FunDza will investigate.

FunDza is not responsible for losses

47. FunDza aims to keep all its services working properly, but it isn’t responsible if any of them don’t work or if any content is deleted.
48. FunDza doesn’t guarantee that content on FunDza’s services is correct or accurate.
49. FunDza may include links to other websites outside of its control for your convenience.
50. You indemnify (cover) FunDza against any claim, loss or debt that results from any content you send to FunDza or from your use of any of its services.

Information, complaints and questions

51. You have rights under laws such as the Promotion of Access to Information Act, the Protection of Personal Information Act and the Consumer Protection Act.
52. Please send any any requests or questions in terms of any laws to The Information Officer by email to info@fundza.co.za, by fax to 086 619 7713 or by letter to FunDza, 85 Main Road, Muizenberg, 7945, Cape Town.
53. If you want to complain or ask about anything, please send written details with your name, phone number and email address to info@fundza.co.za or call 021 709 0688.
54. FunDza is a small organisation, so please be patient and a staff member will reply as soon as possible.

Terms and conditions last updated on 30 August 2019.