Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains what personal data VanTele Mobility collects, why we collect it, who we share it with, how long we keep it, and the choices and rights you have — including how to request deletion of your data.
1. Who We Are
VanTele Mobility is operated by VanTele Mobility (PTY) Ltd, a subsidiary of VanTele Holdings (PTY) Ltd, based in Eenhana, Ohangwena Region, Namibia ("VanTele", "we", "us"). We are the controller of personal data processed through the VanTele Mobility website, Passenger app and Driver app (the "Platform").
We are committed to handling your personal data lawfully, fairly and transparently, in line with Namibian data-protection principles and, because our apps are distributed through Google Play, with internationally recognised privacy standards (GDPR-style best practice).
2. Data We Collect and Why
The table below summarises the personal data we collect, why we collect it, and the basis on which we rely. This table is intended to align directly with the Google Play Console Data Safety declaration.
| Data Type | Examples | Why We Collect It |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Full name, role (passenger/driver) | To create and manage your account and match Rides and Parcels. |
| Contact | Phone number, email address | Account authentication (phone-first login), trip and parcel notifications, support. |
| Location | GPS coordinates, pickup/dropoff points | To match you with nearby Drivers, calculate fares, provide live tracking and navigation. See clause 3. |
| Trip & Parcel data | Bookings, routes, tracking events, ratings | To provide the service, support, dispute resolution and safety. |
| Payment | Wallet balance, transaction records; card/mobile-money handled by processors | To process payments and earnings. We do not store full card details — these are handled by our payment processors. |
| Driver verification | National ID number, driver's licence, police clearance, vehicle details, document photos | To verify Drivers for safety and regulatory compliance (Drivers only). |
| Device & technical | Device identifier, app version, OS, IP address, crash logs | Security, fraud prevention, troubleshooting and improving the apps. |
| Usage | Pages viewed, features used, in-app actions | To operate, secure and improve the Platform. |
3. Location Data — Foreground and Background Use
Location is essential to a transport service. We are transparent about how we use it:
- Passengers — we use location while the app is in use (foreground) to set your pickup point, match you with nearby Drivers, estimate fares and show your Driver's live position.
- Drivers — when you are online and available, the Driver app shares your GPS location, including in the background, so passengers can see nearby and en-route Drivers and so trips and Parcels can be tracked live. Background location is collected only while you are online/on duty and stops when you go offline.
- You can control location through your device's operating-system permissions. Disabling location will prevent core features from working.
4. How We Use Your Data
- To provide, maintain and operate the Platform and its core features.
- To match Passengers and Drivers, calculate Fares and enable live tracking.
- To process payments, wallet top-ups and Driver earnings.
- To send service communications by in-app notification, SMS or email (for example trip status, parcel updates and security alerts).
- To verify Drivers and maintain safety and trust on the Platform.
- To prevent, detect and investigate fraud, abuse and unlawful activity.
- To comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests.
- To improve the Platform, including aggregated and de-identified analytics.
5. Who We Share Data With
We share personal data only as needed to provide the service:
- Between Drivers and Passengers — to complete a Ride or Parcel, a Driver sees the Passenger's pickup/dropoff location, first name and contact method, and the Passenger sees the Driver's name, vehicle, rating and live location. Senders and recipients of a Parcel see relevant delivery details.
- Service providers — the third parties listed in clause 6, who process data on our behalf or to deliver their part of the service.
- VanTele Marketplace — where you use agent-delivery features that link VanTele Mobility with the VanTele Marketplace, relevant order and delivery data is shared between these sister platforms.
- Legal and safety — authorities or third parties where required by law, to enforce our terms, or to protect the rights, safety and property of Users or the public.
We do not sell your personal data.
6. Third-Party Services
| Provider | Role | Their Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Google Maps Platform | Mapping, routing, location services | policies.google.com/privacy |
| Flutterwave | Card / online payment processing | flutterwave.com/privacy-policy |
| MobiPay | Mobile-money payments (Namibia) | |
| Africa's Talking | SMS notifications | africastalking.com/privacy |
| Google Play Services / Firebase | App distribution, crash reporting, messaging | policies.google.com/privacy |
| Hosting provider (cPanel/VPS) | Secure data storage and hosting | |
| VanTele Marketplace | Sister platform — agent deliveries | vantele.com.ng |
These providers have their own terms and privacy policies. VanTele is not responsible for the data practices or service failures of third parties but uses reasonable efforts to choose reliable providers.
7. Data Retention
- GPS / location history is automatically purged 7 days after collection.
- Account, trip, parcel and transaction records are kept while your account is active and for as long as needed for legal, tax, accounting and dispute-resolution purposes, after which they are deleted or anonymised.
- Driver verification documents are kept for the duration of the driver relationship and a reasonable period afterwards for safety and regulatory records.
8. Your Rights and How to Request Data Deletion
Subject to law, you may request to access, correct or delete your personal data, or object to certain processing. To request deletion of your account and associated personal data:
9. Children
The Platform is not intended for persons under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we learn that we have collected data from a child, we will delete it. This helps us avoid Google Play Families requirements.
10. Security
We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data, including encrypted connections, access controls and hashed passwords. We never store raw passwords. No system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for keeping your device and login credentials safe.
11. App Permissions
The apps request the following device permissions, each used only for the stated purpose:
| Permission | Why It Is Used |
|---|---|
| Location (foreground & background) | Matching, fare calculation, navigation and live tracking. Background location applies to online Drivers only. |
| Notifications | Trip, parcel and security alerts. |
| Camera | Uploading verification documents and profile photos (mainly Drivers). |
| Phone | Phone-based account verification and connecting calls between Driver and Passenger. |
12. International Data Transfers
Some of our service providers process data outside Namibia. Where data is transferred internationally, we take reasonable steps to ensure it remains protected to a comparable standard.
13. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated version at a stable URL on our website and, where changes are material, give notice through the Platform. The "last updated" date at the top shows when it last changed.
Contact Us
Questions about this document can be directed to:
- VanTele Mobility (a service of VanTele Mobility (PTY) Ltd, a subsidiary of VanTele Holdings (PTY) Ltd)
- Email: info@vantele.com.ng
- Phone: +264 81 785 5801
- Address: Eenhana, Ohangwena Region, Republic of Namibia
- Website: https://mobility.vantele.com.ng