Terms and Conditions

Welcome to the digital platforms of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ).

These Terms and Conditions govern your access to and use of the MSJ website, MSJ Connect, the MSJ mobile application, registration services, member and supporter services, campaign services, communication services, digital platforms, APIs, online forms, notifications, and any other digital service operated or made available by MSJ.

By accessing, browsing, registering on, logging into, submitting information through, or otherwise using any MSJ digital platform, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agreed to these Terms and Conditions.

If you do not agree with these Terms and Conditions, you should not use the relevant MSJ digital service.

1. About MSJ

The Movement for Social Justice, referred to in these Terms as “MSJ”, “we”, “us” or “our”, operates political, civic, community, membership, campaign and public-engagement services in South Africa.

MSJ may operate its services through its official website, MSJ Connect, mobile applications, authorised communication channels, staff portals, registration systems, messaging platforms and other digital services.

These Terms apply to all such services unless a particular service expressly provides additional terms.

2. Eligibility

You may use the MSJ public website for general informational purposes regardless of whether you are registered with MSJ.

Certain features, including membership registration, supporter registration, MSJ Connect, community services, cases, notifications, personalised communications and other restricted services, may require you to provide information and complete verification.

You must provide information that is accurate, current and complete.

You must not register using another person's identity, cellphone number, email address or personal information without lawful authority.

3. Registration With MSJ

Where you submit an application or registration through an MSJ platform, the submission may initially be assigned a screening or reference number.

A reference or screening number does not necessarily constitute final acceptance, approval or confirmation of formal MSJ registration.

MSJ may review submitted information before determining whether a registration is completed.

Where a registration is formally completed, MSJ may issue a permanent MSJ registration number.

A permanent registration number may be used for identification within authorised MSJ systems and services.

MSJ may require additional information, verification or review where reasonably necessary to maintain the integrity and security of the registration system.

4. Email and Cellphone Verification

MSJ may require you to verify your email address, cellphone number or both.

Verification may take place through one-time passwords, verification links, SMS messages, email messages or another approved verification mechanism.

Verification codes and links are intended only for the person to whom they are issued.

You must not share a verification code, login code or security link with another person.

MSJ representatives should not require you to disclose a one-time login or verification code for purposes unrelated to completing an authorised verification process.

5. MSJ Connect Accounts

MSJ Connect may provide registered users with access to personalised information, campaign content, registration information, community features, cases, notifications and other authorised services.

You are responsible for maintaining the security of your access to MSJ Connect.

You must not knowingly allow an unauthorised person to access MSJ Connect using your credentials, verification code or trusted device.

MSJ may suspend or restrict access where suspicious, fraudulent, abusive or unauthorised activity is detected.

6. Trusted Devices and Device Security

MSJ may use trusted-device controls to protect member or supporter accounts.

A device may be associated with a particular account after successful verification.

If your device is replaced, lost, stolen, reset or otherwise becomes unavailable, additional verification or administrative approval may be required before another device is authorised.

Trusted-device controls are intended to protect users from unauthorised account access.

MSJ reserves the right to revoke, reset or replace a trusted-device association where reasonably required for account security.

7. Your Responsibilities

When using an MSJ digital platform, you agree not to misuse the platform or interfere with its proper functioning.

You must not attempt to gain unauthorised access to another person's account, restricted MSJ systems, administrative areas, databases, servers or other protected resources.

You must not attempt to bypass security controls, verification procedures, rate limits, access controls or trusted-device protections.

You must not knowingly introduce viruses, malicious code, ransomware, spyware, harmful scripts or other technologies designed to damage, interfere with or compromise MSJ systems.

You must not use automated tools to scrape, extract, reproduce or systematically collect protected information from MSJ platforms without written authorisation.

You must not use MSJ systems to threaten, harass, defame, impersonate, intimidate or unlawfully discriminate against another person.

8. Community and User-Submitted Content

Certain MSJ services may allow users to submit messages, reports, comments, cases, complaints, community concerns, images, documents or other information.

You remain responsible for information you submit.

You must not knowingly submit false, defamatory, unlawful, threatening, fraudulent or malicious information.

You must not upload material that infringes another person's intellectual property, privacy or other legal rights.

MSJ may review, moderate, restrict, remove or preserve user-submitted content where reasonably necessary for security, legal compliance, platform integrity or enforcement of these Terms.

9. Cases, Reports and Community Concerns

MSJ digital platforms may allow individuals to submit community concerns, cases, service-delivery matters, complaints or requests for assistance.

Submission of a case does not guarantee that MSJ can resolve the matter or obtain a particular outcome.

MSJ may communicate with relevant persons, institutions or authorities where reasonably necessary and lawful to assess or assist with a matter.

Users should not use the case system for knowingly false allegations, harassment, abuse or unlawful conduct.

10. Campaign and Political Information

MSJ digital services may provide political, campaign, electoral, policy, candidate, manifesto, organisational and public-information content.

Such content may change over time.

MSJ may correct, update, replace or remove content without prior notice where appropriate.

Election dates, candidate information, electoral requirements and official governmental information may also be subject to decisions and publications by the relevant electoral or governmental authorities.

Users should consult the appropriate official authority where legally authoritative information is required.

11. Candidates and Representatives

MSJ may publish profiles of candidates, representatives, officials, staff members or other authorised persons.

Information may include photographs, biographies, wards, areas of responsibility, campaign information and related public information.

Publication on an MSJ platform does not create a guarantee concerning election results, appointment, tenure, conduct or future status.

12. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise stated, the MSJ name, branding, logos, website design, application design, software, graphics, campaign materials, text, photographs, videos, documents and other original content published by MSJ are owned by or lawfully used by MSJ.

You may view and share publicly available MSJ material for lawful personal, civic, political or informational purposes where such sharing does not misrepresent MSJ or alter the material deceptively.

You may not commercially exploit, falsely attribute, impersonate, modify for deceptive purposes, or unlawfully reproduce protected MSJ material.

Third-party trademarks, photographs, documents and other materials remain subject to the rights of their respective owners.

13. Links and Third-Party Services

MSJ platforms may contain links to external websites or may integrate with third-party service providers.

These may include email providers, SMS providers, telecommunications providers, social-media services, messaging platforms, hosting providers, analytics services, mapping services, payment services or other technology providers.

MSJ does not control all third-party services and is not responsible for every action, policy, outage or security incident affecting a third-party platform.

Where you leave an MSJ-controlled environment, the third party's own terms and privacy policies may apply.

14. Communications From MSJ

Where permitted by law and based on your relationship with MSJ, MSJ may communicate with you through email, SMS, push notification, telephone, WhatsApp or other appropriate communication channels.

Communications may concern registration, verification, security, events, community matters, organisational notices, campaigns, participation opportunities and other MSJ activities.

Certain operational or security communications may be necessary for the provision of a service.

Where applicable, users may be provided with mechanisms to manage or opt out of non-essential communications.

15. Security

MSJ takes reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect its systems and information.

However, no online system, telecommunications network, mobile application or electronic database can be guaranteed to be completely secure or continuously available.

Users must take reasonable steps to protect their own devices, passwords, email accounts, SIM cards and authentication methods.

You should notify MSJ promptly if you believe your account, device, registration information or communications have been compromised.

16. Suspension and Termination

MSJ may temporarily or permanently restrict access to an account or digital service where reasonably necessary.

This may occur in cases involving suspected fraud, unauthorised access, security threats, abuse, harassment, impersonation, unlawful activity, attempts to compromise MSJ systems, serious breaches of these Terms or other circumstances requiring protection of MSJ, its members, users or systems.

Where reasonably possible, MSJ may investigate or request further information before making a final decision.

17. Availability of Services

MSJ aims to provide reliable digital services but does not guarantee uninterrupted access.

Services may be temporarily unavailable because of maintenance, upgrades, telecommunications problems, hosting failures, electricity interruptions, security incidents, force majeure, software issues or circumstances outside MSJ's reasonable control.

MSJ may modify, replace, suspend or discontinue a feature where reasonably necessary.

18. Accuracy of Information

MSJ endeavours to keep official information accurate and current.

However, errors, delays, outdated information or technical inaccuracies may occasionally occur.

MSJ may correct such information once identified.

Users should seek confirmation where information is particularly important or time-sensitive.

19. No Unlawful Use

MSJ services may not be used for criminal, fraudulent, abusive, threatening or otherwise unlawful purposes.

Any suspected unlawful conduct may be investigated and, where legally required or appropriate, referred to competent authorities.

20. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by South African law, MSJ will not be liable for indirect, incidental, consequential or special loss arising solely from the use or inability to use an MSJ digital service.

Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded.

MSJ does not seek to exclude responsibility for intentional misconduct, grossly negligent conduct or obligations that the law does not permit MSJ to exclude.

21. Indemnity

To the extent permitted by law, you may be responsible for losses, claims or costs reasonably arising from your deliberate unlawful misuse of an MSJ service, infringement of another person's rights, fraudulent conduct, malicious interference with MSJ systems or material breach of these Terms.

This provision does not impose liability on a user where liability would be unlawful or unreasonable.

22. Privacy and Personal Information

MSJ processes personal information in accordance with its Privacy Policy and applicable South African law.

The Privacy Policy forms an important part of the rules governing use of MSJ digital services.

Where MSJ collects information concerning political association, membership, participation or political persuasion, such information is treated with appropriate care because of its sensitive nature.

23. Children

MSJ services are not intended to encourage unlawful collection or misuse of children's personal information.

Where a service involves children or minors, appropriate consent and safeguards may be required in accordance with applicable law and the circumstances of the service.

24. Changes to These Terms

MSJ may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes to the law, technology, security requirements, services or organisational operations.

The updated version will be published on the appropriate MSJ platform with a revised “Last Updated” date.

Material changes may also be communicated through other appropriate channels.

25. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa.

Any dispute arising from these Terms or use of an MSJ digital service will be dealt with in accordance with applicable South African law and the jurisdiction of a competent South African court.

26. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue to apply to the extent permitted by law.

27. Contact MSJ

For enquiries regarding these Terms and Conditions, please contact: