PRIVACY

Privacy Policy

How Dr HJ du Plessis Specialist Surgeon collects, uses and protects your personal information.

Effective date: 29 June 2026

Please do not use this website for emergencies

The contact form is intended for general enquiries and appointment-related communication. Do not submit urgent or highly detailed medical information through the website. If you have a medical emergency, contact the appropriate emergency service or go to the nearest emergency department.

1. About this policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Dr HJ du Plessis Specialist Surgeon (the Practice, we, us or our) handles personal information collected through drhjduplessis.co.za and related communications. We process personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and other applicable South African laws.

2. Information we may collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

  • Your name, telephone number and email address.
  • The reason for your enquiry and any message you submit.
  • Appointment, communication and administrative information.
  • Health or medical information that you choose to provide, which may be special personal information under POPIA.
  • Technical information such as your IP address, browser, device information, pages visited and cookie data.
  • Information you provide by telephone, email, WhatsApp, in person or through another healthcare provider.

Please provide only the information reasonably needed for your enquiry.

3. How we collect information

We may collect information directly from you when you complete the website contact form, contact the Practice, request an appointment or receive care. We may also receive information from referring practitioners, medical schemes, laboratories, hospitals and other authorised healthcare providers where this is necessary and lawful.

4. How we use your information

We may use personal information to:

  • Respond to enquiries and arrange consultations.
  • Provide, coordinate and administer healthcare services.
  • Communicate with you and maintain appropriate records.
  • Process medical-aid, billing or related administrative matters where applicable.
  • Protect the website, patients, staff and Practice from security threats or misuse.
  • Comply with legal, regulatory, ethical and professional obligations.
  • Improve our website and services using appropriately limited usage information.

We do not sell personal information.

5. Our lawful grounds for processing

Depending on the circumstances, we process personal information with your consent; to take steps at your request; to provide healthcare or administer the practitioner-patient relationship; to meet legal or professional obligations; to protect legitimate interests; or where processing is otherwise permitted by POPIA and applicable healthcare law. You may withdraw consent where consent is the basis for processing, but this does not affect processing already performed or information we must retain by law.

6. Health and other special personal information

Health information receives additional protection. It will be handled only where necessary for a lawful purpose and subject to professional confidentiality, access controls and other appropriate safeguards. Website enquiries are not a substitute for a confidential medical consultation.

7. When information may be shared

We may share relevant information only when necessary and lawful, including with:

  • Authorised Practice staff and healthcare professionals involved in your care.
  • Hospitals, laboratories, referring practitioners, medical schemes and other healthcare participants where applicable.
  • Service providers supporting hosting, email, information technology, communications, administration or professional advice, subject to appropriate confidentiality and security requirements.
  • Regulators, courts, law-enforcement bodies or other authorities where disclosure is legally required or permitted.
  • Emergency services or appropriate persons where necessary to protect life, health or safety.

8. Security and retention

We use reasonable technical and organisational safeguards designed to protect personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration or disclosure. No internet transmission or electronic storage system is completely secure.

We retain information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected and as required by legal, regulatory, ethical and professional record-keeping obligations. When appropriate, information is securely deleted, destroyed or de-identified.

9. Cookies and third-party services

The website may use essential cookies and limited technical data needed for operation, security and performance. It also contains links to or embedded services provided by third parties, including Google Maps and WhatsApp. Those providers may collect information in accordance with their own privacy policies when you load or use their services. You can manage cookies through your browser settings, although disabling essential cookies may affect website functionality.

10. Your privacy rights

Subject to POPIA and applicable legal limitations, you may ask whether we hold personal information about you; request access to it; ask for inaccurate information to be corrected; request deletion or destruction where permitted; object to certain processing; or withdraw consent where processing relies on consent. We may need to verify your identity before completing a request, and some records may need to be retained for legal or professional reasons.

To exercise these rights, use the Practice contact details below.

11. Children, external links and cross-border processing

Where personal information about a child is processed, we will do so only as permitted by law and, where required, with authorisation from a competent person such as a parent or guardian.

Our website may link to external websites that we do not control. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies. If a service provider processes information outside South Africa, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer is permitted under POPIA and subject to appropriate safeguards.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy when our practices, services or legal obligations change. The latest version will be published on this page with its effective date. Material changes may be communicated by an additional notice where appropriate.

Privacy enquiries

Dr HJ du Plessis Specialist Surgeon
Suite 3, Life Anncron Hospital
Wilkoppies, Klerksdorp, 2571

Telephone: 018 004 0229
Email: ontvangs@drhjduplessis.co.za

Please contact the Practice first so that we have an opportunity to address your concern.

Information Regulator (South Africa)

If you believe your personal information has been handled in breach of POPIA, you may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.

Telephone: 010 023 5200
Toll-free: 0800 017 160
General enquiries: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za
POPIA complaints: POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za
Complaints information: inforegulator.org.za/complaints