SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC, DANCE & ARTS (S.A.M.D.A) CHAMPIONSHIPS
OFFICIAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

1. INTERPRETATION & DEFINITIONS

1.1 In this Agreement, unless inconsistent with the context:
“CPA” means the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008.
“POPIA” means the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013.
“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or South African public holiday.
Words importing the singular include the plural and vice-versa; headings are for convenience only.

2. ELIGIBILITY & ENTRY

2.1 Participation is open to natural persons of any nationality who are:
a) at least 3 (three) years old on the first day of the Provincial round; and
b) not employees, directors or immediate family members of S.A.M.D.A or its auditors.
2.2 Minors must have the written consent of a parent or legal guardian.
2.3 Entries close at 23:59 (SAST) on the closing date published on the Website. Late or incomplete entries are rejected.

3. ENTRY FEES & PAYMENT

3.1 Payments are accepted only via secure EFT or the listed payment gateway.
3.2 Receipt of payment is deemed only once funds have cleared into S.A.M.D.A’s bank account.

4. COMPETITION STRUCTURE

4.1 Provincial Qualifying Rounds: must be entered and successfully passed before progression to the National Finals.
4.2 Judging criteria (technique, creativity, musicality) are published on the Website and form part of these Terms.
4.3 All decisions of the official adjudicators are final and binding; no correspondence will be entered into.

5. CONDUCT & DISQUALIFICATION

5.1 Unsportsmanlike behaviour, plagiarism, or failure to observe safety instructions may lead to immediate disqualification without refund.
5.2 S.A.M.D.A reserves the right to refuse entry to any person whose presence may, in its reasonable opinion, cause harm or damage.

6. CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT (CPA) COMPLIANCE

6.1 Cooling-off: A Participant may cancel any paid registration within 5 (five) Business Days of payment by emailing samddac@gmail.com.
6.2 Refunds for cancellation under Clause 6.1 will be processed within 14 Business Days, less a reasonable administrative fee of R50.
6.3 Force Majeure: Should the Championships be cancelled due to events beyond S.A.M.D.A’s reasonable control (pandemic, civil unrest, etc.), Participants may choose:
a) a full refund; or
b) a credit valid for the next edition.

7. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

7.1 Save for gross negligence or wilful misconduct, S.A.M.D.A, its officers, employees, agents and sponsors shall not be liable for:
a) any injury, loss or damage to persons or property; or
b) indirect or consequential damages arising from participation.
7.2 Participants participate at their own risk and are strongly advised to arrange adequate personal insurance.

8. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (IP) & MEDIA RIGHTS

8.1 Participants grant S.A.M.D.A a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to photograph, video-record and broadcast their performances for promotional, archival and commercial purposes without additional compensation.
8.2 Moral rights are asserted under the Copyright Act 98 of 1978; S.A.M.D.A will use reasonable efforts to credit Participants when commercially feasible.

9. PERSONAL INFORMATION & POPIA

9.1 Lawful Basis: Personal information is processed to perform this contract, comply with legal obligations and pursue legitimate interests (event management, marketing).
9.2 Categories Collected: name, age, ID/Passport number, contact details, medical conditions relevant to safe participation, photographs/video, and bank details for refunds.
9.3 Retention: Records are retained for 3 (three) years after the last event attended, then securely destroyed unless legal archiving is required.
9.4 Cross-Border Transfers: Data may be stored on servers located in the EU/EEA under adequacy decisions or standard contractual clauses.
9.5 Data Subject Rights:
Access, correction, deletion: samddac@gmail.com
Objection to processing or withdraw consent (may affect participation).
Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator: www.justice.gov.za/inforeg.
9.6 Security Measures: Encryption in transit and at rest, role-based access, annual penetration testing.

10. AMENDMENTS & NOTICES

10.1 S.A.M.D.A may amend these Terms at any time. Material changes will be published on the Website and emailed to the address last provided by the Participant. Continued participation constitutes acceptance.
10.2 All notices must be in writing and delivered by hand, registered post, or email to the addresses on the registration form.

11. GOVERNING LAW & DISPUTE RESOLUTION

11.1 This Agreement is governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa.
11.2 Any dispute not resolved within 10 Business Days of written notice shall be submitted to confidential mediation under the rules of the Arbitration Foundation of South Africa (AFSA).
11.3 If mediation fails, the dispute shall be finally resolved by arbitration under AFSA rules by a single arbitrator appointed by agreement or, failing that, by the AFSA Secretariat. The seat shall be Johannesburg, English language. Judgment upon the award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction.

12. GENERAL

12.1 Severability: If any clause is found to be invalid, the remainder shall continue in force.
12.2 Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with the Privacy Notice and any event-specific rules published on the Website, constitute the entire agreement between the parties and supersede all prior representations.
12.3 No waiver of any breach shall constitute a waiver of any other or continuing breach.

13. REFUND & CANCELLATION TABLE – SUMMARY

14. ACCEPTANCE

By ticking “I Accept” or by participating in any S.A.M.D.A Championship, the Participant (and, where applicable, their parent/guardian) confirms having read, understood and agreed to these Terms & Conditions and the S.A.M.D.A Privacy Notice.

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