WEBSITE TERMS OF USE

Effective Date: 1 April 2026  |  Version: 2026.1

Welcome to the website of Geopolitical Intelligence (Pty) Ltd, trading as GI Advisory. By accessing and using this website, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by these Terms of Use. If you do not agree to these terms, please refrain from using this website and its content.

These Terms of Use, together with our Privacy Policy, govern the relationship between you and GI Advisory in respect of this website and any services engaged through it.

1.  DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION

1.1  In these Terms of Use, the following terms shall have the meanings assigned to them:

(a)  “GI Advisory” refers to Geopolitical Intelligence (Pty) Ltd, registered under number 2020/786405/07, trading as GI Advisory.

(b)  “Client” refers to any individual or organisation that engages GI Advisory for the provision of services under a formal mandate.

(c)  “Parties” refers to GI Advisory and the Client who has entered into a mandate or service agreement with GI Advisory.

(d)  “Services” refers to Market Entry Intelligence, Compliance Intelligence, Forensic Services, Country Risk Analysis, and any related information analysis, research, investigation, and advisory services provided by GI Advisory from time to time.

(e)  “Deliverables” refers to sourced reports, decision-support documentation, and expert testimony produced by GI Advisory in the course of a mandate.

(f)  “Website” refers to www.giadvisory.co.za and all associated pages and content.

1.2  Words referring to a specific gender include all genders. Words in the singular include the plural, and vice versa. References to natural persons include legal entities, and vice versa.

2.  TERMS OF USE

2.1  These Terms of Use govern access to and use of the GI Advisory website and apply to all visitors, users, and clients.

2.2  By submitting an enquiry or accepting a quotation issued by GI Advisory, the Client acknowledges and agrees to abide by these Terms of Use and the terms of the applicable mandate or service agreement.

2.3  GI Advisory reserves the right to amend these Terms of Use at any time. Continued use of the website following any amendment constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

3.  COSTS AND FEES

3.1  Needs Analysis. Prior to providing a cost estimate for any mandate, GI Advisory may conduct a needs analysis to establish the scope, complexity, and appropriate service pillar for the engagement. This is charged at the Director rate of R1,682 per hour in accordance with DPSA consultant guidelines and is payable in advance. Where the Client proceeds with the mandate, the needs analysis fee will be offset against the total mandate cost. If the Client does not proceed, the fee is non-refundable.

3.2  Mandate Costing. All cost estimates are based on the scope established during the needs analysis or as agreed in writing. GI Advisory reserves the right to revise a cost estimate where the scope of a mandate changes materially after acceptance.

3.3  Validity. Cost estimates are valid for acceptance within 30 days of issue. GI Advisory may agree to extend this period upon written request.

3.4  Commencement. GI Advisory will not commence any mandate until it receives formal written acceptance, either by email or WhatsApp, and full payment of the agreed fee or deposit.

3.5  Payment. On acceptance of a cost estimate, a tax invoice will be issued immediately. Payment is to be made by electronic fund transfer into the bank account designated by GI Advisory. Work commences upon receipt of confirmed proof of payment.

3.6  Refunds. In the event that a mandate is terminated after commencement, GI Advisory will be entitled to retain payment for work already completed on a pro rata basis calculated against actual hours expended. A refund of the balance, if any, will be processed within 14 business days of termination.

4.  MANDATE BRIEF AND SCOPE

4.1  The Client is responsible for providing an accurate and complete mandate brief. GI Advisory reserves the right to charge for additional scoping work required as a result of incomplete or inaccurate instructions, at the applicable hourly rate.

4.2  Any request to expand the scope of a mandate beyond the original brief will be assessed by GI Advisory and, if agreed, will be the subject of a supplementary cost estimate requiring written acceptance before additional work commences.

5.  MANDATE PHASES AND APPROVAL

5.1  Mandates are conducted in phases. GI Advisory will seek written acknowledgement from the Client at the conclusion of each phase before proceeding to the next. Acknowledgement may be provided by email or WhatsApp.

5.2  GI Advisory reserves the right to pause a mandate pending Client approval of a prior phase and will not be held responsible for any delay in delivery resulting from the Client’s failure to provide timeous approval or required information.

6.  NATURE OF DELIVERABLES

6.1  All deliverables produced by GI Advisory are based on information available at the time of the mandate and reflect the findings of the investigative or analytical process conducted. Deliverables are not legal opinions and do not constitute legal advice.

6.2  GI Advisory’s deliverables are intended to support informed decision-making. The Client retains sole responsibility for any decisions made on the basis of GI Advisory’s findings.

6.3  GI Advisory will not produce or deliver any finding that is fabricated, altered, or distorted for the purpose of supporting a predetermined conclusion. All deliverables reflect verified information and independent analysis.

7.  DISCLAIMER AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

7.1  GI Advisory’s services are conducted with reasonable professional care and diligence. However, GI Advisory does not warrant that all information obtained in the course of a mandate is complete, accurate, or free from error, given the inherent limitations of open-source, human-source, and database-sourced information.

7.2  The Client indemnifies and holds GI Advisory harmless from any loss, damage, or expense arising from:

(a)  Events or conditions outside GI Advisory’s reasonable control, including force majeure, infrastructure failure, or the non-performance of third-party service providers;

(b)  The Client’s reliance on GI Advisory’s findings in circumstances where the Client had material information that was not disclosed to GI Advisory at the time of the mandate;

(c)  Any breach of security or confidentiality by a third party in respect of the Client’s own systems or information.

7.3  GI Advisory’s liability in respect of any mandate shall not exceed the fees paid by the Client for that mandate.

8.  CONFIDENTIALITY

8.1  Both Parties acknowledge that in the course of a mandate, each Party may receive confidential or proprietary information from the other. All such information shall be held in strict confidence and shall not be disclosed to any third party without prior written consent, except as required by law or a competent court.

8.2  GI Advisory’s methodology, internal processes, source networks, and analytical frameworks are proprietary and confidential. The Client shall not disclose, reproduce, or share GI Advisory’s methods or processes without prior written authorisation.

8.3  Confidentiality obligations survive the termination of any mandate or agreement between the Parties.

9.  INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

9.1  All deliverables produced by GI Advisory, including sourced reports, decision-support documentation, and analytical materials, remain the intellectual property of GI Advisory until full payment has been received, at which point ownership of the deliverable vests in the Client.

9.2  The Client is not permitted to use GI Advisory’s name, trading name, logo, or marks without prior written consent.

9.3  GI Advisory is not responsible for any copyright infringement arising from information, data, or materials provided by the Client for inclusion in a deliverable. The Client warrants that all materials provided to GI Advisory are lawfully obtained and may be used for the purpose of the mandate.

10.  PRIVACY AND PERSONAL INFORMATION

10.1  GI Advisory processes personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA). Personal information collected through this website or in the course of a mandate is used solely for the purpose for which it was collected.

10.2  GI Advisory’s full Privacy Policy is available on this website and forms part of these Terms of Use.

11.  TERMINATION

11.1  Either Party may terminate a mandate by providing 14 days’ written notice to the other Party. Termination by agreement may take effect at any time.

11.2  On termination, GI Advisory shall be entitled to payment for all work completed to the date of termination on a pro rata basis. Any outstanding balance shall be invoiced immediately upon termination.

11.3  These Terms of Use in respect of a specific mandate commence on the date of acceptance and payment of the cost estimate and remain in effect until the mandate is completed, delivered, or terminated.

12.  GOVERNING LAW

These Terms of Use are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any dispute arising from or related to these Terms of Use shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the High Court of South Africa, Gauteng Division, Pretoria.

The Information You Can Defend.