Last updated: March 2026
Who We Are
Simile Press is an independent publishing company based in Johannesburg, South Africa. When we refer to “Simile Press,” “we,” “us,” or “our” in this policy, we mean the press and its operator.
Our website address is: www.similepress.com
Your Privacy Matters to Us
Simile Press is committed to protecting your personal information. This policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and what your rights are in relation to it. We comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (POPIA), which governs the collection and processing of personal information in South Africa.
We do not sell your personal information. We do not share it with third parties for marketing purposes. We collect only what we need, and we use it only for the purposes described here.
What Information We Collect
Information you give us directly
- Contact and enquiry forms — your name, email address, and the content of your message
- Newsletter signup — your name and email address
- Manuscript submissions — your name, email address, location, biographical information, and the manuscript or writing sample you submit
- User accounts — your name, email address, and any profile information you choose to provide
- Purchases and payments — your name, billing address, and payment details. Payment transactions are processed through a secure third-party payment provider. Simile Press does not store your full card details on our servers.
Information collected automatically
When you visit our website, certain information is collected automatically through cookies and analytics tools, including:
- Your IP address and approximate location
- Browser type and device information
- Pages visited and time spent on the site
- How you arrived at the site (search engine, referral link, etc.)
We use Google Analytics or a similar analytics service for this purpose. This data is aggregated and used to understand how visitors use our site so we can improve it. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
How We Use Your Information
| Information | Purpose |
| Contact form data | To respond to your enquiry |
| Newsletter signup | To send you updates, announcements, and submission calls |
| Submission data | To read, evaluate, and respond to your submission |
| Account information | To manage your account and provide relevant services |
| Payment information | To process your purchase and maintain transaction records |
| Analytics data | To understand site usage and improve the website |
We will never use your submission or manuscript content for any purpose other than editorial evaluation.
How Long We Keep Your Information
- Contact enquiries — up to 12 months after your enquiry is resolved
- Manuscript submissions — up to 24 months after a final decision is communicated, in case of future correspondence
- Newsletter subscribers — for as long as you remain subscribed
- Account information — for as long as your account is active, plus a reasonable period thereafter
- Purchase and payment records — as required by South African tax and financial record-keeping obligations (generally 5 years)
- Analytics data — as per Google Analytics’ standard data retention settings
Cookies
Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to make the site function properly and to collect analytics data. We use:
- Essential cookies — required for the website to function, including login sessions and shopping cart functionality
- Analytics cookies — used by Google Analytics to understand site usage
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling analytics cookies will not affect your ability to use the site, but disabling essential cookies may affect functionality.
Sharing Your Information
We do not sell or rent your personal information. We may share limited information with the following categories of service providers, strictly for the purposes described in this policy:
- Website hosting provider — to operate and maintain the website
- Payment processor — to handle transactions securely
- Email/newsletter platform — to send newsletters and notifications
- Analytics provider — Google Analytics or equivalent
All service providers are required to handle your information securely and in accordance with applicable law.
We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to a valid legal request.
Your Rights Under POPIA
As a data subject under POPIA, you have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Correct any inaccurate or incomplete information
- Request deletion of your personal information, subject to any legal obligations we may have to retain it
- Object to the processing of your personal information
- Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent (for example, newsletter subscriptions)
- Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe your rights have been violated
To exercise any of these rights, contact us. We will respond within a reasonable time and no later than required by law.
The Information Regulator of South Africa can be contacted at inforeg@justice.gov.za.
Security
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse. Payment transactions are encrypted and processed through a secure third-party provider.
No method of transmission over the internet is entirely secure. While we do our best to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the date at the top of the page. Significant changes will be communicated to registered users and newsletter subscribers.
Contact
For any privacy-related questions or requests:
Simile Press Johannesburg, South Africa: Contact us