Terms and Conditions: Monthly Subscription Donation

These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your participation in the recurring monthly donation program (“Subscription Program”) offered by The South African Whale Centre (“Organization,” “we,” “us,” or “our”).

This document outlines the Terms and Conditions for our Monthly Donation program. We’ve organized it to be easy to navigate. Use the ‘Key Highlights’ for quick answers or the side navigation to read the full terms for each topic.

Key Highlights

Your Commitment: Your donation is a recurring monthly payment charged on the same day each month until you cancel.
How to Cancel: You may cancel your recurring donation at any time without penalty via your Donor Portal or by emailing us.
Refund Policy: All donations are non-refundable. If you believe an error has occurred, please contact us within 14 days.
Tax Information: Your donation may be tax-deductible. We will provide an annual summary for your tax purposes.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By setting up a recurring monthly donation, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms.

2. The Subscription Donation

2.1 Recurring Nature

Your donation is established as a recurring monthly payment from the date of your initial transaction.
The donation will be charged automatically on or about the same day of each subsequent month (the “Billing Date”) until you cancel.

2.2 Donation Amount

You agree to donate the amount specified during the signup process (the “Donation Amount”) on each Billing Date.
You are responsible for ensuring your chosen payment method remains valid and funded.

2.3 Tax Deductibility

The South African Whale Centre is a registered Non-Profit Company (NPC).
Your donation may be tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. We will provide a donation summary/receipt annually for tax purposes. Please consult your tax advisor.

3. Payment and Billing

3.1 Payment Methods

We accept payment via PayFast.
By providing a payment method, you authorize us to charge the Donation Amount to that method on a monthly basis.

3.2 Failed Payments

If a scheduled payment fails, we reserve the right to retry the charge 3 times within 10 days.
If the payment continues to fail, your subscription donation will be temporarily suspended, and you will be notified via email to update your payment information.

3.3 Changes to Billing Information

It is your responsibility to keep your billing information updated (e.g., in your Donor Portal or by contacting us).

4. Modification and Cancellation

4.1 Donor Modification

You may modify your Donation Amount at any time. Changes will take effect on the next scheduled Billing Date following the modification.

4.2 Cancellation by Donor

You may cancel your recurring donation at any time without penalty or further obligation.
Cancellations can be processed through your Donor Portal, or by emailing our support team at
To avoid being charged for the upcoming month, cancellation must be submitted at least 3 days before your next scheduled Billing Date.

4.3 Termination by Organization

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate any recurring donation at our sole discretion, with notice to the donor.

5. Refund Policy

5.1 General Policy

All donations are non-refundable. Since donations are immediately put to use to support our mission, we generally do not offer refunds.
If an error occurs (e.g., duplicate charge, incorrect amount), please contact us within 14 days of the transaction, and we will review the matter on a case-by-case basis.

6. Use of Funds

Donations received through the Subscription Program will be used to support the general mission and charitable activities of The South African Whale Centre, in accordance with our stated goals.
While we strive to use funds efficiently and transparently, all donations are unrestricted unless explicitly stated otherwise (e.g., during a specific campaign).

7. Privacy and Data

The collection and use of your personal information (including payment details) are governed by our Privacy Policy, available at /privacy-policy.
By agreeing to these Terms, you acknowledge and consent to our data practices as described in the Privacy Policy.

8. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa.

9. Contact Information

If you have questions regarding your recurring donation or these Terms, please contact us:

The South African Whale Centre is a Non Profit Company (NPC)
Registration number: 2024/471788/08

Email: hello@thesawc.co.za
Phone: 028 313 0418
Mailing Address: 3 Market Square St, Hermanus, 7200
Last Updated: November 2025