Terms and conditions of use
Any person accessing this portal (user) is subject to, and agrees to, the terms and conditions set out in this legal notice. If the user does not wish to be bound by these terms and conditions, the user may not access, display, use or download and/or otherwise copy or distribute content obtained in this portal.
1. Use and copyright
1.1 Use of this portal and any services, content or applications contained therein or offered thereon is at the sole risk of the user. The Department of Science and Innovation of the Republic of South Africa (DSI), will not be held liable for any injuries, damages, claims or losses, whether direct or indirect, arising out of or in connection with the use of this portal as a result of the conduct of the user, its representatives, agents or employees.
1.2 Users may view, copy, download to a local drive, print and distribute the content of this portal, or any part thereof, for non-commercial, informational or reference purposes only. The information is subject to copyright and other intellectual property rights.
1.3 Users who wish to use content from this site for commercial purposes may do so only with the prior written consent of the DSI. Consent may be requested from enquiries@bioeconomy.co.za.
1.4 Any reproduction and/or copy of the content or any part thereof for commercial purposes must include the following copyright notice in its entirety: "© 2011-current, Department: Science and Innovation, Republic of South Africa. All rights reserved."
1.5 Unless expressly granted, all moral rights and any other rights of the DSI or any person or legal entity in respect of which content is contained on this site are reserved.
2. Disclaimers and indemnities
2.1 The information on this portal is intended to provide general information on a particular subject or subjects and is not an exhaustive treatment of such subject(s).
2.2 It is the sole responsibility of the user to satisfy him or herself prior to accessing this portal that the portal will meet the user's individual requirements and be compatible with the user's hardware and/or software.
2.3 THIS ENTIRE PORTAL, INCLUDING TEXT, IMAGES, LINKS, DOWNLOADS AND CODING, IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE". THE DSI MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES AS TO THE CORRECTNESS OR SUITABILITY OF EITHER THE PORTAL OR THE PRODUCTS, SERVICES OR INFORMATION IT CONTAINS.
2.4 Information, ideas and opinions expressed on this portal should not be regarded as professional advice or the official opinion of the DSI.
2.5 Users are encouraged to obtain professional advice before taking any course of action related to information, ideas or opinions expressed on this portal.
2.6 The use of the content of this portal is at the user's own risk.
2.7 The user assumes full responsibility, including the risk of loss resulting from the use of the content of this portal.
2.8 THE DSI OR ANY OF THE LEGAL ENTITIES IN RESPECT OF WHICH INFORMATION IS CONTAINED ON THIS PORTAL, OR EMPLOYEES OF THE DSI OR SUCH ENTITY, WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, STATUTE, DELICT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, NEGLIGENCE), OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF ANY INFORMATION ON THIS PORTAL.
2.9 SUBJECT TO SECTIONS 43(5) AND 43(6) OF THE ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSACTIONS ACT, 2002 (ACT NO. 25 OF 2002), AND TO THE FULLEST EXTENT POSSIBLE UNDER LAW, THE DSI WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE, LOSS OR LIABILITY OF WHATSOEVER NATURE ARISING FROM THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE, OR REASONABLE RELIANCE UPON THIS PORTAL OR THE SERVICES OR CONTENT PROVIDED IN AND THROUGH THIS PORTAL.
2.10 Users agree to indemnify and hold blameless the DSI, its officers, employees, Internet service providers, servants, subcontractors, partners, subsidiaries and affiliates from any demand, action or application or other proceedings, including in respect of attorney's fees and related costs such as tracing fees, made by any third party and arising out of or in connection with the user's use of or inability to use this portal, third party websites or any of the services offered through such sites in any way, including but not limited to the provision of content.
2.11 If any of the foregoing is not fully enforceable for any reason, the remainder will nonetheless continue to apply.
3. Receipt and sending of data messages
3.1 Data messages, including email messages, sent by users to the portal owner will be deemed to be received only when acknowledged or responded to in writing.
3.2 Data messages sent by the portal owner to users will be regarded as received when the complete data message enters an information system designated or used for that purpose by the recipient and is capable of being retrieved and processed by the recipient.
3.3 If a user does not receive a response within a reasonable period of time, the user should send a follow-up email to enquiries@bioeconomy.co.za. The DSI will not be liable for any failure to respond.
4. Security
4.1 The DSI has in place reasonable commercial standards of technology and operational security to protect all information provided by users from loss, misuse, alteration or destruction.
4.2 All reasonable steps will be taken to secure a user's information. Authorised employees who are responsible for the maintenance of any sensitive data submitted are required to maintain the confidentiality of such data, including public bodies that may receive such information from the DSI.
4.3 It is expressly prohibited for any person, business, or entity to gain or attempt to gain unauthorised access to any page on this portal, or to deliver or attempt to deliver any unauthorised, damaging or malicious code to this portal.
4.4 If a person delivers or attempts to deliver any unauthorised, damaging or malicious code to this portal or attempts to gain unauthorised access to any page on this portal, a criminal charge will be laid against that person, and, if DSI or any public body should suffer any damage or loss, civil damages will be claimed.
5. Monitoring and interception of data messages
5.1 In order to provide a relevant and secure service, and where required to do so under law, the DSI may monitor and/or intercept electronic communications, such as email, which are sent to and from this portal.
5.2 TO THE FULL EXTENT NECESSARY UNDER LAW THE USER HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGES THAT HE OR SHE IS AWARE OF SUCH POTENTIAL MONITORING AND/OR INTERCEPTION AND CONSENTS THERETO.
6. Confidentiality of data messages
6.1 The DSI prefers not to receive confidential or proprietary information from users through this portal.
6.2 Please note that any information or material sent to the DSI will be deemed NOT confidential.
6.3 By sending the DSI any information or material, users grant the DSI or its agents an unrestricted, irrevocable license to use, reproduce, display, perform, modify, transmit and distribute such information or material, and also agree that the DSI is free to use any ideas, concepts, know-how or techniques that are sent to it for any purpose.
6.4 The DSI will not release users' names or otherwise publicise the fact that materials or other information has been submitted to it unless:
(a) prior permission is obtained to use the user's name; or
(b) the user has first been notified that the materials or other information submitted to a particular part of this site will be published or otherwise used in a manner that reflects the user's name; or
(c) where required to do so by law.
7. Links to third party or external sites
7.1 The DSI may provide links to other websites. This is only for the user's convenience and does not imply the endorsement of such sites.
7.2 Linked websites or pages are not subject to the control of the Department.
7.3 Certain links in the portal lead to resources maintained by third parties over which the DSI has no control. The Department makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy of, or any other aspect relating to, these resources and is not responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, in any way for the contents, use of, or inability to use or access any linked websites or resources or any links contained in a linked website or resource.
8. Intellectual property rights
8.1 All content, data and trademarks, including, but not limited to, software, technology, databases, know-how, text, graphics, icons, hyperlinks, private information, designs, programs, publications, products, processes, or ideas described in this portal are the subject of intellectual property rights, which are the property of or licensed to the DSI, or a person or legal entity, and as such are protected by South African legislation and international treaties and conventions.
8.2 Subject to the rights afforded to the user herein, all other rights to all intellectual property on this portal are expressly reserved and access to data on this portal does not give the user licence or authorisation in relation to such intellectual property.
8.3 Third party websites are welcome to provide links to the information on this portal. However, the DSI requests that it be notified at enquiries@bioeconomy.co.za when links are made.
8.4 It is expressly prohibited for any person, business, entity or website to frame any page on this portal, including the home page, in any way whatsoever, without the prior written approval of the DSI.
9. Automated searching
9.1 Automated transactions and searches are subject to these terms and conditions.
9.2 The use of malicious search technology is prohibited.
9.3 The use of search technology in an unlawful manner or for the collecting or harvesting of data for commercial gain is prohibited.
9.4 Search technology that does not unduly affect the operation of this portal is acceptable, but the portal owner reserves the right to prohibit any specific person or entity from employing search technology on the portal.
10. Applicable law
10.1 The user hereby agrees that the law applicable to these terms and conditions of use, their interpretation and any matter or litigation in connection with them or arising from them will be the law of the Republic of South Africa.
10.2 This portal is owned, hosted and maintained within the Republic of South Africa.
10.3 Any use of this site and agreement to these terms and conditions will be deemed to have taken place in Pretoria, South Africa.
11. General provisions
11.1 In the event of any part of these terms and conditions being found to be partially or fully unenforceable, for whatever reason, this will not affect the application or enforceability of the remainder of these terms and conditions.
11.2 These terms and conditions including the Privacy Policy represent the entire agreement between the user and the portal owner.
11.3 Failure to enforce any provision of these terms and conditions will not be deemed a waiver of such provision nor of the right to enforce such provision.
12. Amendments to content and information
12.1 The DSI expressly reserves the right at its sole discretion to affect any amendment or alteration to the content and information set out in this portal.
12.2 Users acknowledge that it is their responsibility to familiarise themselves with any amendment or alteration effected.
13. Updating and maintenance of these terms and conditions of use
13.1 The DSI reserves the right to update, modify, add to or remove portions or the whole of these terms and conditions of use from time to time.
13.2 Updates to these terms and conditions of use will take effect upon such updates being posted to this portal.
13.3 It is the user's obligation to periodically check these terms and conditions of use at this portal for updates.
13.4 The user's continued use of this portal following the posting of updates will be considered notice of the user's acceptance to abide by and be bound by these terms and conditions of use, including such updates.
14. Portal owner details
14.1 The full name and legal status of the portal owner is: The Department of Science and Innovation of the Republic of South Africa, a Department of the Government of the Republic of South Africa, as represented by its Director General and the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation.
14.2 Portal address: http://bioeconomy.co.za.dedi6.cpt3.host-h.net/.
14.3 Postal address: Private Bag X894, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa, 0001.
14.4 Street address: DST Building (Building No. 53), Scientia (CSIR) Campus (South Gate Entrance), Meiring Naudé Road, Brummeria, Pretoria.
14.5 Email address: enquiries@bioeconomy.co.za.
© 2011-current, Department of Science and Innovation, Republic of South Africa. All rights reserved.