Built for South African Legal Compliance
Sayina is engineered from the ground up to comply with the Electronic Communications and Transactions (ECT) Act 25 of 2002, the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), and international e-signature standards.
ECT Act 25 of 2002
South Africa's Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (ECT Act 25 of 2002) provides the legal framework for e-signatures. Sayina supports both advanced electronic signatures (AES) and standard electronic signatures as defined by the Act.
Under Section 13 of the ECT Act, an electronic signature has the same legal standing as a handwritten signature where both parties agree to use electronic means.
- ✓Full support for ordinary and advanced e-signatures
- ✓Legally binding for contracts, agreements, and authorisations
- ✓Compliant with Section 13 and 14 of the ECT Act
- ✓Accepted by South African courts and regulators
What documents can be signed electronically?
Most commercial and personal documents qualify. The following categories require handwritten signatures under South African law and are excluded:
- ✗Wills and testamentary documents
- ✗Long-term lease agreements (over 20 years)
- ✗Bills of exchange (cheques, promissory notes)
- ✗Powers of attorney
All other agreements — NDAs, employment contracts, service agreements, lease agreements under 20 years — are fully valid when signed on Sayina.
POPIA Compliance
The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) governs how personal information is collected, stored, and processed. Sayina is fully compliant.
Data Minimisation
We only collect personal information necessary for the e-signature process. Nothing more.
Local Data Storage
All data is hosted in South Africa or within POPIA-approved jurisdictions. No data leaves SA borders without consent.
Right to Erasure
Users may request deletion of their personal data at any time, in line with POPIA's data subject rights.
Comprehensive Audit Trail
Every Sayina envelope generates a cryptographically secured audit trail — a legally admissible record of all events surrounding the signature process.
- ✓Timestamp of every action (sent, viewed, signed, declined)
- ✓IP address and device information of each signer
- ✓OTP verification via South African mobile numbers (+27)
- ✓Document hash before and after signing
- ✓Downloadable Certificate of Completion per envelope
Ready to sign with confidence?
Join South African businesses who trust Sayina for legally compliant e-signatures.
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