Terms of Use

These Terms of Use ("Terms") are a draft for counsel. They govern access to the TaskUp SA website and application (the "Platform") operated by [Insert CIPC registered name] (Pty) Ltd, registration number [Insert registration number], of [Insert registered address, South Africa] ("we", "us", "the Company"). By creating an account or using the Platform you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy.

Questions: [Insert contact email]. South African law applies. Nothing here is legal advice to users.

1. What TaskUp SA is

The Platform is an online marketplace where people in the Republic of South Africa can post tasks, make offers, hire help, publish freelance services, message, and (where enabled) complete identity or business checks. We provide software, listings, and related tools. We are not the employer, labour broker, or co-contractor of users unless a separate written agreement says otherwise.

Contracts for a task are between the person who posts or funds the job (the "Hirer") and the person who performs it (the "Worker"). Business accounts act through authorised representatives.

2. Eligibility

• You must be at least 18 years old and able to enter a binding contract.
• You must use a true identity. Business accounts must match CIPC (or equivalent) details when we ask for them.
• You may not use the Platform if you are prohibited under South African law or under sanctions applicable to us or our payment partners.

3. Accounts

You must keep login details secret and tell us if you think the account is compromised. You are responsible for activity under your account. We may suspend or close accounts for breach, fraud risk, unpaid amounts, or to comply with law or a payment partner.

4. Jobs, offers and work

• The minimum advertised task amount is R25, unless we change it in the product and these Terms.
• Hirers must describe the work honestly (location or "open to all", timing, requirements, pay). Workers must only accept work they can do lawfully and safely.
• Offers, counters, check-in, proof of work, milestones and ratings work as shown in the Platform. Where the Hirer funds a job, work should not start until funds are held as described below.
• Off-platform payment for a job posted on TaskUp SA is forbidden. It voids escrow protection and may lead to suspension.

5. Prohibited tasks

You may not post or accept work that is illegal, exploitative, or unsafe, including:

• Sexual services, child exploitation, or anything involving minors as workers;
• Drugs, weapons, stolen goods, or fraud;
• Hate, harassment, or doxxing;
• Work that requires a licence you do not hold (for example certain electrical or medical acts);
• Circumventing labour, tax, immigration or consumer law.

We may remove listings and report conduct to authorities where we reasonably must.

6. How task money is held

There is no third-party escrow agent. Card payments and bank transfers are processed by Paystack Payments South Africa, a licensed payment processor, which processes card payments and bank transfers on our behalf, but it does not hold funds on our behalf. We are not a bank, not a credit provider and not a registered escrow agent.

What happens to a task amount depends on how the Hirer funds it: for card-funded tasks, the task amount is reserved (pre-authorised) on the Hirer's own card and stays in the Hirer's account until release; for wallet-funded tasks, the amount is recorded against the Hirer's Platform wallet and held by the Company pending release.

• Card-funded tasks. We reserve the task amount on the Hirer's card. Nothing is charged at that point and the money stays in the Hirer's account. The reservation lasts up to 3 days, which is why tasks funded this way must be due within that period. The card is charged only when the Hirer releases the funds, or automatically if the Worker has marked the task done and the Hirer does not respond before the reservation lapses. We tell the Hirer by email before that happens.
• Wallet-funded tasks. Hirers may instead top up a Platform wallet from R50 and allocate amounts from R25 to a task. Those amounts are held by the Company, recorded against the Hirer's wallet, and are the only route for tasks due more than 3 days out.
• Cash-out. Workers may withdraw accumulated earnings from R50 to a South African bank account in their own name, which we verify against the bank's records before saving it. Instant mobile, retail voucher, airtime, data and electricity payouts are not currently offered and will not be until we add a licensed partner for each and update these Terms.
• We do not accept cash deposits.

Settlement timing, account verification, refunds and card chargebacks are also subject to the rules of our payment processor and of the Hirer's bank.

7. Fees and VAT

Unless a promotion says otherwise, we charge a service fee on the Worker's payout of 10% (standard), 9% (identity verified, if that rate is active in product), or 7% (Pro or qualification-verified freelancers, if active). 15% VAT is levied on our service fee only, not on the full task price, unless the law requires otherwise.

Payment processing charges are intended to be absorbed inside that service fee so that we do not add a second "payment fee" on top for ordinary users. We may change fees with notice in the Platform. Subscriptions (for example Freelancer Pro or business plans), verification fast-track, and advertising are charged as shown at checkout and may be billed from wallet balance when live.

Users are responsible for their own income tax, VAT registration if required, UIF, COIDA and similar. We may issue fee statements; they are not a substitute for your tax invoices unless we expressly issue a tax invoice.

8. Disputes between Hirer and Worker

Use in-app messaging and the dispute tools first. We may review proof, ratings and chat. We may, acting reasonably, release, refund or split funds. We are not a court. Consumer Protection Act and other rights remain available where they apply.

If submitted work is not accepted and the Hirer is silent, the Platform may release the funds to the Worker automatically after the period shown in the app. For card-funded tasks that period is set to end before the card reservation lapses, and we email the Hirer beforehand.

9. Verification, ratings and ads

Identity, qualification and business checks may be manual. A badge is not a government clearance. Ratings must be honest. Paid or sponsored posts must be identifiable as advertising as required by law. We may run or display ads.

10. Communications and support

The Platform may include text, voice or video calling. Quality depends on your network. AI support ("Thandi") can misstate facts; it does not replace these Terms. Escalation to a human agent is not guaranteed in real time.

11. Intellectual property and acceptable use

We own the Platform's look, software and marks. You keep IP in content you post, and grant us a licence to host and display it to operate the marketplace. Do not scrape, overload, reverse engineer (except as permitted by law), or introduce malware.

12. Privacy

Personal information is handled under our Privacy Policy and POPIA.

13. Disclaimer and liability

The Platform is provided "as is". We do not guarantee that a job will be filled, that a Worker is skilled, or that a Hirer will pay except insofar as the task amount has actually been reserved or held under clause 6. To the maximum extent permitted by South African law (including the Consumer Protection Act where it applies), we are not liable for indirect or consequential loss, lost work, or disputes between users. Our aggregate liability to you arising from the Platform in any 12 months is limited to the greater of (a) fees you paid us in that period and (b) R1 000, except for death, bodily injury, fraud, or liability that cannot be limited.

14. Indemnity

You indemnify us against claims arising from your listings, work, content, tax affairs, or breach of these Terms, except to the extent caused by our gross negligence or wilful misconduct.

15. Changes and termination

We may update these Terms. Material changes will be posted on this page with a new date. Continued use after the date is acceptance. You may close your account subject to open jobs, disputes and live card reservations. We may stop offering the Platform.

16. General

These Terms are the agreement between you and us about the Platform. If a clause is unenforceable, the rest remains. We may assign the agreement to an affiliate or successor. You may not assign without our consent. Notices may be sent to your account email. Governing law and courts: the Republic of South Africa.