Terms of Service

1.1 These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the LitWorks platform, including:

• The website at litworksafrica.live
• The website at litworksafrica.institute
• Any related applications, dashboards, or services (collectively, “the Platform”)

1.2 The Platform is operated by LitWorks Africa (Pty) Ltd (“LitWorks”, “we”, “us”, or “our”), a company registered in the Republic of South Africa with registration number [Company Reg No] and its registered address at Johannesburg CBD, Gauteng, South Africa.

1.3 By creating an account, accessing, or using the Platform, you (“you”, “your”, or “the User”) agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, you must not use the Platform.

1.4 These Terms apply to all users, including:

• Business Users — businesses, freelancers, and professionals using litworksafrica.live
• Student Users — students and learners using litworksafrica.institute
• Visitors — anyone browsing the Platform without an account

2.1 To open an account, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old, or have the consent of a parent or legal guardian if you are a minor;
• Have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement;
• Provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration;
• Not be prohibited by South African law from using the Platform.

2.2 If you are opening an account on behalf of a business, you confirm that you have the authority to bind that business to these Terms.

2.3 LitWorks reserves the right to refuse or cancel any account at its sole discretion.

3.1 To use the Platform, you must create an account by providing:

• Your full name
• A valid email address
• A secure password

3.2 You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials;
• All activity that occurs under your account;
• Notifying LitWorks immediately of any unauthorised access.

3.3 You may not:

• Create multiple accounts for the same person or business without permission;
• Share your account with others;
• Use another person’s account without consent;
• Create an account using false or misleading information.

3.4 LitWorks may suspend or terminate your account if these rules are breached.

4.1 LitWorks provides a managed online presence platform. Depending on your chosen tier, the Service includes:

4.2 The features included with a paid site (bookings, analytics, newsletters, etc.) are described on the Platform and are subject to change with notice. You may build your site before paying, but it is only published once paid for.

4.3 LitWorks reserves the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Service with reasonable notice.

6.1 You own your content. All text, images, logos, and data you upload to the Platform (“User Content”) remains your property.

6.2 By uploading User Content, you grant LitWorks a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to:

• Host, store, and display your content on the Platform;
• Use your content to provide the Service;
• Display your content in the LitWorks network (unless you opt out).

6.3 You confirm that:

• You own or have permission to use all User Content;
• Your content does not infringe any third party’s rights;
• Your content is not illegal, harmful, or offensive.

6.4 LitWorks may remove User Content that violates these Terms.

6.5 You are responsible for your content. LitWorks is not liable for any claims arising from your User Content.

7.1 LitWorks owns all rights to:

• The Platform codebase, architecture, and design
• AI agents, automation systems, and tools
• Templates, layouts, and configurations
• The LitWorks name, logo, and trademarks
• Aggregated, anonymised data insights

7.2 You may not:

• Copy, resell, or redistribute the Platform;
• Reverse-engineer or modify the Platform;
• Use the Platform to build a competing service;
• Remove or alter any copyright or trademark notices.

8.1 You agree not to use the Platform to:

• Upload or share illegal, harmful, or offensive content;
• Spam, phish, or engage in fraudulent activity;
• Harass, threaten, or defame others;
• Infringe intellectual property rights;
• Distribute malware or viruses;
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to the Platform or other accounts;
• Scrape, crawl, or harvest data from the Platform;
• Violate any South African law or regulation;
• Impersonate another person or business.

8.2 LitWorks may suspend or terminate your account for any breach of this section.

9.1 LitWorks complies with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA).

9.2 Our full Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information.

9.3 By accepting these Terms, you acknowledge that you have read our Privacy Policy and consent to the processing described there.

10.1 By opening an account, you agree to be listed in the LitWorks network directory.

10.2 The network may include:

• Your business name and profile
• Your industry and location
• Your profile link
• Cross-promotion with related businesses

10.3 You may opt out of specific network features by emailing [Your Email].

10.4 LitWorks will never sell your contact details or customer data to third parties.

11.1 Support is provided via:

• Email: [Your Email]
• WhatsApp: [Your Phone]
• Dashboard ticket system

11.2 Support hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00–17:00 SAST.

11.3 Response time: within 4 business hours.

11.4 Support covers:

• Using the Platform
• Fixing bugs and errors
• Recovering content from backups
• Billing questions

11.5 Support does not cover:

• Custom development
• Content writing beyond AI-assisted
• Marketing campaigns
• Third-party tools

12.1 The Platform is provided “as is” and “as available”.

12.2 LitWorks does not guarantee:

• Specific business results
• Search engine rankings
• Customer inquiries or sales
• Uninterrupted or error-free service

12.3 LitWorks is not liable for:

• Loss of profits, revenue, or business opportunities
• Indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
• Damage caused by your misuse of the Platform
• Damage caused by third-party services
• Force majeure events (natural disasters, load shedding, etc.)

12.4 LitWorks’ total liability is limited to the amount you have paid in the preceding 3 months.

12.5 Nothing in these Terms limits any rights you have under the Consumer Protection Act that cannot be waived by law.

13.1 You may terminate your account at any time by:

• Using the cancellation option in your dashboard;
• Emailing [Your Email].

13.2 Notice period: 20 business days’ written notice is required for cancellation.

13.3 LitWorks may terminate your account if:

• You breach these Terms;
• You fail to pay;
• You misuse the Platform;
• We discontinue the Service (with notice).

13.4 On termination:

• You may export your content and data;
• You may transfer your domain (if you own one);
• Any outstanding fees remain payable;
• Prepaid fees beyond the termination date are non-refundable.

13.5 LitWorks will delete your data within 90 days of termination, unless required by law to retain it.

15.1 LitWorks may update these Terms from time to time.

15.2 Material changes will be communicated via:

• Email to your registered address;
• Notice on the Platform.

15.3 Continued use of the Platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

15.4 If you do not agree to the changes, you may terminate your account.

16.1 Both parties will attempt to resolve disputes through good-faith negotiation.

16.2 If negotiation fails, the dispute will be referred to mediation with a mutually agreed mediator.

16.3 If mediation fails, the dispute will be resolved by a South African court of competent jurisdiction.

16.4 These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa.

17.1 Entire Agreement: These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and LitWorks.

17.2 Amendments: Any changes must be in writing and accepted by both parties.

17.3 Waiver: Failure to enforce a right does not waive that right.

17.4 Severability: If any clause is found invalid, the rest remains in effect.

17.5 Notices: All notices must be sent to the email addresses on record.

17.6 Assignment: You may not assign your rights under these Terms without LitWorks’ consent.