Cookie Policy
If you've spent any time on the internet lately, you've probably seen hundreds of pop-ups asking you to "Accept Cookies." But what does that actually mean for you when you are browsing the grantZA website (hosted on grantza.org.za) or using our mobile app?
This page explains exactly what cookies are, the specific types of tracking SNEGO GROUP (Pty) Ltd uses to keep this platform running, and how you can take control of your own browser preferences.
No, not the chocolate chip kind. A web cookie is a tiny text file that gets saved onto your computer or mobile phone when you visit a website. It essentially gives your browser a temporary memory, allowing the website to recognize you if you visit again later.
How We Use Cookies on grantZA
We do not use cookies to snoop on your private life or steal your banking details. Our platform uses these small files for three very specific, functional reasons:
- Strictly Necessary Cookies: These are required for the website to actually function. For example, if you use our Status Check form, temporary cookies help route your request securely to the government API and display the result back on your screen without the connection dropping. You cannot turn these off, or the site will break.
- Analytics and Performance: We use tools like Google Analytics to understand how people use our guides. These cookies tell us if visitors are reading our NSFAS articles more than our NYDA guides, and roughly what province they are from. The data is entirely anonymous—we just see numbers on a chart, not your name.
- Advertising Cookies: Providing daily updates and hosting this database costs money. To keep grantZA 100% free for everyone, we display ads via Google AdSense. These advertising cookies help Google show you ads that might actually be relevant to you, rather than completely random banners.
What About the Mobile App?
If you are using the official grantZA mobile application (package name za.org.grantza.www), the concept is very similar, though mobile apps don't use traditional "web cookies."
Instead, the app uses anonymous Device Identifiers to track crash reports and serve ads via networks like AdMob. Just like the website, this tracking does not pull your personal photos, contacts, or sensitive identity numbers from your phone.
Remember, when you click a link on our site that takes you to an official government application portal (like the SASSA or DTI websites), those external sites will drop their own cookies onto your device. SNEGO GROUP does not control the tracking policies of state-owned platforms.
How to Control or Delete Cookies
You are completely in charge of your own device. If you don't want grantZA—or any other website—to store cookies on your browser, you can easily clear them or block them entirely.
Every web browser has a settings menu where you can manage this. Usually, you just need to go to your browser's "Settings" or "Preferences", look for the "Privacy and Security" section, and hit "Clear Browsing Data" or "Block Third-Party Cookies."
If you are using a smartphone, you can also limit ad tracking directly through your phone's general settings menu (usually found under Privacy > Tracking on iOS, or Google > Ads on Android).
Just be aware that if you block all cookies strictly, some functional parts of our website (like the status check tool) might not load properly.
Questions?
If you have any specific concerns about how SNEGO GROUP handles tracking files, or if you just want more clarity on this policy, we are happy to help. Feel free to send us a message through our Contact Us page.