Terms of Service

1. Introduction

Welcome to Design Dates ("we", "us", "our", or the "Company"). These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of our website located at designdates.co.za (the "Site") and our premium human-curated matchmaking services (collectively, the "Services").

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User", "Client", or "you") and Design Dates, a matchmaking service operating under South African law.

2. Our Services

Design Dates provides a premium, human-curated matchmaking service that connects single individuals seeking meaningful relationships. Our Services include, but are not limited to:

• Personal Matchmaking: Our professional matchmakers hand-pick compatible matches based on your preferences, personality, values, and lifestyle.
• ID Verification: We verify the identity of all users through government-issued identification documents to ensure a safe, authentic community.
• WhatsApp Introductions: We facilitate introductions between matches via WhatsApp, South Africa's most popular messaging platform.
• Relationship Coaching: Optional guidance and conversation starters to help you feel confident during your introductions and first dates.

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of our Services at any time, with or without notice. We shall not be liable to you or any third party for any modification, suspension, or discontinuance of the Services.

3. Eligibility

To use our Services, you must meet ALL of the following criteria:

1. Age Requirement: You must be at least 18 years of age or the age of majority in your jurisdiction, whichever is greater.
2. Legal Capacity: You must have the legal capacity to form a binding agreement under South African law.
3. Genuine Intent: You must be genuinely seeking a relationship and provide truthful, accurate information about yourself.
4. Single Status: You must be single, divorced, separated, or widowed. You may not use our Services if you are currently married or in a committed relationship.

4. Registration & Account Information

When you register for our Services, you agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information about yourself, including your name, age, gender, location, contact details, and relationship preferences.
• Promptly update your information to keep it accurate and complete.
• Maintain the security and confidentiality of any login credentials provided to you.
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account.

You are solely responsible for all activities that occur under your account. We reserve the right to refuse service, terminate accounts, or remove content at our sole discretion.

5. ID Verification

To maintain the safety and authenticity of our community, all users must undergo ID verification before being matched with other users. By using our Services, you agree to:

• Submit a valid South African government-issued identification document (ID book, smart ID card, passport, or driver's license).
• Provide a clear, recent photograph of yourself for verification purposes.
• Allow us to store your verification data securely in accordance with our Privacy Policy and the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).

We reserve the right to reject any ID submission that appears fraudulent, altered, or illegible. Providing false identification is a criminal offence under South African law and will result in immediate account termination and potential legal action.

6. User Conduct

You agree to use our Services only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You agree NOT to:

• Provide false, misleading, or inaccurate information about yourself, your background, or your intentions.
• Harass, abuse, threaten, or harm another user or any third party, whether through our Services, WhatsApp, or any other means.
• Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely claim affiliation with any person or entity.
• Upload or transmit any content that is defamatory, obscene, offensive, or otherwise objectionable.
• Use our Services to solicit money, gifts, or financial assistance from other users.
• Engage in any activity that violates any applicable local, national, or international law.
• Attempt to interfere with, compromise, or disrupt the integrity or performance of our Services.

We reserve the right to investigate and take appropriate legal action against anyone who violates these provisions, including removing the offending content and terminating the violator's account.

7. Privacy & Data Protection (POPIA)

Your privacy is critically important to us. We collect, use, and store your personal information in strict compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA), South Africa's comprehensive data protection legislation.

By using our Services, you consent to our collection and use of your personal information as described in our Privacy Policy. Key points include:

• Data Collected: Name, age, gender, contact details, ID documents, photographs, relationship preferences, location data, and communication records.
• Purpose of Collection: To provide matchmaking services, verify identities, communicate with you, and improve our Services.
• Data Sharing: We will never sell your personal information to third parties. We only share your profile with potential matches after you have given explicit consent.
• Data Security: We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, disclosure, or loss.
• Your Rights: Under POPIA, you have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal information at any time by contacting us.

8. Payments & Refunds

8.1 Pricing

Our Services are offered at the prices displayed on our Site at the time of purchase. All prices are quoted in South African Rand (ZAR) and include VAT where applicable. We reserve the right to change our pricing at any time, but any price changes will not affect orders already confirmed.

8.2 Payment Methods

We accept the following payment methods:

• Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT): Direct bank transfer to our nominated account.
• PayFast: Secure online payment gateway supporting credit/debit cards and Instant EFT.
• Cash: In-person payments by prior arrangement.

8.3 Refund Policy

We stand behind the quality of our Services. Refunds are handled as follows:

• Satisfaction Guarantee: If you are not satisfied with your match, we will either provide a replacement match at no additional cost or issue a full refund, at your discretion.
• Service Failure: If we are unable to provide the Service you paid for (e.g., no suitable matches available), you will receive a full refund.
• Consumer Rights: In accordance with the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA), you have the right to request a refund within 6 months of purchase if the Services are not of satisfactory quality or fit for purpose.

Refund requests must be submitted in writing via email or WhatsApp within 30 days of your original purchase. Refunds will be processed within 7-14 business days to the original payment method.

9. Satisfaction Guarantee

Design Dates offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If for any reason you are not happy with your curated match, simply contact us on WhatsApp and we will:

1. Arrange a new, replacement match at no additional cost, OR
2. Issue a full refund of your payment.

This guarantee applies to your first match experience with us and is subject to the following conditions:

• You must notify us within 7 days of receiving your match introduction.
• You must have provided accurate and complete information during registration.
• You must have engaged in good faith with the introduction process.

10. Disclaimer of Guarantees

Our Services are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. We make no warranties, express or implied, regarding:

• The compatibility of any match we introduce to you.
• The accuracy, completeness, or reliability of information provided by other users.
• The conduct, character, or intentions of any user on our platform.
• The availability of suitable matches at any given time.
• That our Services will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free.

You acknowledge that any relationship formed through our Services is between you and the other party, and you assume full responsibility for your interactions and decisions.

11. Prohibited Activities

The following activities are strictly prohibited and will result in immediate account termination without refund:

• Using our Services for prostitution, escort services, or any form of commercial sexual activity.
• Creating multiple accounts or using another person's identity.
• Collecting or storing personal data of other users without their express consent.
• Using automated systems, bots, or scrapers to access our Services.
• Attempting to reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble our platform.
• Transmitting viruses, malware, or any malicious code.
• Engaging in phishing, spam, or fraudulent activities.
• Using our Services in any jurisdiction where such use is illegal.

12. Intellectual Property

All content on our Site and within our Services — including text, graphics, logos, images, icons, software, and the overall design — is the property of Design Dates or its licensors and is protected by South African and international copyright, trademark, and intellectual property laws.

You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, display, perform, publish, license, create derivative works from, or sell any content from our Site without our prior written consent.

By submitting content to us (including photographs, profile information, and testimonials), you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, display, and distribute such content in connection with our Services.

13. Third-Party Services & Links

Our Services may integrate with or contain links to third-party platforms, including but not limited to:

• WhatsApp: Used for introductions and communication between matches.
• PayFast: Used for secure payment processing.
• Google Maps: Used for location-based features.

We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or terms of any third-party services. Your use of third-party services is at your own risk and subject to their respective terms and policies.

14. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Design Dates, its directors, employees, agents, and affiliates shall not be liable for any:

• Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages.
• Loss of profits, revenue, data, goodwill, or business opportunities.
• Damages arising from your use of, or inability to use, our Services.
• Damages arising from the conduct of any other user, whether online or offline.
• Damages arising from unauthorized access to or alteration of your data.

Our total aggregate liability to you for any and all claims arising out of or related to these Terms or our Services shall not exceed the total amount you have paid to us in the 12 months preceding the claim.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for:

• Death or personal injury caused by our negligence.
• Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.
• Any liability that cannot be excluded or limited under South African law.

15. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Design Dates, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in any way connected with:

• Your access to or use of our Services.
• Your violation of these Terms.
• Your violation of any rights of another person or entity.
• Any interactions or transactions you have with other users.

16. Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account and access to our Services at any time, with or without notice, for any reason, including but not limited to:

• Breach of these Terms.
• Fraudulent, illegal, or abusive activity.
• Extended inactivity.
• Requests by law enforcement or government agencies.

You may terminate your account at any time by contacting us via email or WhatsApp. Upon termination, your right to use our Services will cease immediately. Provisions of these Terms which by their nature should survive termination shall survive, including ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnity, and limitations of liability.

17. Dispute Resolution & Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms shall be resolved as follows:

1. Informal Resolution: We encourage you to contact us first to attempt to resolve any dispute informally via email or WhatsApp.
2. Mediation: If informal resolution fails, the parties agree to attempt mediation through the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) or a mutually agreed mediator.
3. Arbitration/Courts: If mediation fails, the dispute shall be submitted to the exclusive jurisdiction of the South African courts located in Gauteng Province.

18. Changes to These Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting the revised Terms on our Site. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page will reflect the date of the most recent changes.

Your continued use of our Services following the posting of updated Terms constitutes your acceptance of such changes. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically to stay informed of our practices.

If the changes are material, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you via email or through a prominent notice on our Site.

19. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback regarding these Terms of Service, please contact us:

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