Privacy Policy

Last updated: 20 October 2026

This policy explains how Shaun Mahabeer (“we”, “us”, “Shaun”) collects, uses, stores and shares personal information when you visit shaunmahabeer.com, join the mailing list, or buy books, artwork or other products from this site. We handle personal information in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”).

1. Who is responsible for your information

Shaun Mahabeer, based in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Information Officer: Shaun Mahabeer
Email: shaunmahabeer@outlook.com
Postal address: Johannesburg, South Africa

2. What information we collect

Information you give us:

• Your email address, when you join the mailing list or email us.
• Your name and any message you send us by email.
• For donations by bank transfer, the reference you enter. We do not receive your bank details.

Information collected when you buy:

• Paystack (for the PDF downloads and Solo Journeys, Shaun Eats and Peace and How To Have It e-books) processes your payment and receives the details needed to take it. We receive a confirmation of your purchase and your email address so we can send the download.
• Amazon (for paperbacks and Kindle editions) and PayPal (for donations) process their own orders and payments under their own privacy policies. We receive only the order details they share with us.

Information collected automatically:

• This site is hosted by GitHub Pages, which may record standard server logs such as IP address, browser type and the pages requested.
• The site loads fonts from Google Fonts, which receives your IP address when the page loads.

3. How we use your information

We use your information to:

• send you new stories, book news and updates, if you have joined the mailing list;
• deliver digital products you have bought and respond to your questions;
• thank you for donations and keep our accounts in order;
• keep the site secure and working properly.

We will not sell your personal information, and we will not use it for purposes you would not reasonably expect.

4. Legal basis

We rely on your consent for marketing emails, which you can withdraw at any time. We rely on the need to fulfil a purchase you have made, and on our legitimate interest in running and securing the site.

5. Who we share information with

We share information only with the service providers needed to run the site and the business:

• MailerLite to send our emails;
• Paystack, PayPal and Amazon, to process payments and orders;
• GitHub, to host the site;
• Google, to serve fonts;
• Temu and other partners, only when you click one of our links and make a purchase with them.

Some of these providers are based outside South Africa, including in the United States. Where information is sent abroad, we rely on the providers’ own safeguards and take steps to make sure it is protected, as POPIA requires.

6. Cookies and links to other sites

This site does not set its own cookies. Third-party sites you visit from here, such as Amazon, Temu, Paystack and the social media platforms, may set cookies under their own policies. You can control cookies in your browser settings. Affiliate links on this site may set cookies that let the partner know you came from here.

7. How long we keep information

We keep mailing list details until you unsubscribe. We keep purchase and donation records for as long as needed to meet tax and accounting obligations, and then delete or anonymise them.

8. Your rights

Under POPIA you can ask us to:

• confirm what personal information we hold about you;
• correct or delete it;
• stop using it for marketing (every email has an unsubscribe link);
• object to how we use it.

To use these rights, email shaunmahabeer@outlook.com. If you are not happy with our response, you can complain to the Information Regulator of South Africa at inforeg.org.za.

9. Children

This site is not aimed at children under 18. If you believe a child has given us personal information without a parent or guardian’s consent, please contact us and we will delete it.

10. Security

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information. No website or email is completely secure, so please share only what you need to.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows when it was last changed.

12. Contact

Questions about this policy? Email shaunmahabeer@outlook.com.