Terms of Service

1. Definitions

• “Customers” refers to any individual and / or company and / or business that purchases products from Users via the Pylon Platform and / or pays Users for services rendered via the Pylon Platform.
• “DFC” refers to DFC Technologies (Pty) Ltd, the owner of the Pylon Platform.
• “Pylon Platform” refers collectively to the website platform, infrastructure, and services provided by DFC Technologies.
• “User” refers to any individual or business that creates an account and / or uses the Pylon Platform.
• “Site” refers to a website created or published through the Pylon Platform.
• “Services” refers to all software, hosting, tools, and infrastructure provided through the Pylon Platform.

2. Purpose

DFC provides infrastructure for users to create and publish websites through the Pylon Platform. To maintain a safe, lawful, and reliable platform, certain activities and content are strictly prohibited. These Terms exist to:

• Protect users and the public
• Maintain platform integrity
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws
• Enable enforcement against abuse

Users may only use the Pylon Platform for lawful, legitimate, and ethical purposes. Any use that violates laws, harms others, undermines trust, or exploits the platform is strictly prohibited.

3. Eligibility

To use the Pylon Platform, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Have legal authority to enter into a binding contract
• Provide accurate account information

You agree to keep your account information current at all times.

4. Account Registration

To access the Pylon Platform, Users must create an account. You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the security of your account
• Protecting your login credentials
• All activity that occurs under your account

DFC is not liable for unauthorised account access caused by User negligence.

5. Description of Service

The Pylon Platform enables users to:

• Build and manage websites
• Publish websites to the internet
• Connect custom domains
• Manage site content
• Integrate payment systems and other services

DFC may modify or update the Pylon Platform at any time to improve functionality or security.

6. Subscription Billing

Certain features of the Pylon Platform require a paid subscription. Payments are processed through Paystack. By subscribing to a paid plan, you agree that:

• Fees are charged on a recurring basis
• Billing occurs automatically unless cancelled
• You authorise the payment processor to charge your payment method

Billing may occur on one of the following cycles:

• Monthly
• Annually
• On a custom enterprise billing cycle

Subscriptions automatically renew at the end of each billing period unless cancelled prior to renewal.

All payments are subject to these Terms.

7. Cancellation Policy

Customers may cancel their subscription through their Pylon Profile Settings dashboard. When a subscription is cancelled:

• The subscription remains active until the end of the current billing period
• No further billing will occur after cancellation
• The published site may be suspended or unpublished once the billing cycle expires

Cancellation does not retroactively terminate the billing period already paid for.

In accordance with Section 44 of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act25 of 2002 (ECTA), you are entitled to cancel your initial subscription within 7 days of the date the service commenced (the “Cooling-Off Period”). If you exercise this right, DFC will provide a full refund of the subscription fee within 30 days of cancellation. This right does not apply to renewals of existing subscriptions or to the purchase of domain names, which are non-refundable once registered.

Outside of the Cooling-Off Period:

• Monthly subscriptions may be cancelled at any time through your Pylon Profile Settings dashboard. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period and no early cancellation penalty applies.
• Annual subscriptions may likewise be cancelled through your Pylon Profile Settings dashboard with effect from the end of the current annual billing period, at no penalty. Alternatively, should you wish to terminate an annual subscription before the end of its term and claim a refund for the unused portion, you may do so on 20 business days' written notice to support@pylonsites.co.za, subject to the early cancellation penalty described in clause 8.

8. Refunds

In respect of the early termination of annual subscriptions on written notice as contemplated in clause 7, you will receive a refund calculated as follows: the number of months of the subscription term that have commenced as at the effective date of termination is multiplied by DFC's standard monthly subscription price for your plan, and this amount is deducted from the annual subscription fee paid; the balance is refunded to you. This deduction constitutes the early cancellation penalty: months already commenced are charged at the standard monthly price rather than at the discounted annual-equivalent rate. If the deduction equals or exceeds the annual subscription fee paid, no refund is due, and no additional amount is payable by you.

Because the Pylon Platform provides immediate access to digital infrastructure and services, refunds not related to the Cooling-Off Period or to the early termination of annual subscriptions are limited to the following cases:

A refund may be granted if:

• The customer was charged in error
• The customer was billed multiple times for the same subscription
• The Pylon Platform experienced an extended service outage preventing usage
• A subscription was cancelled but incorrectly renewed due to a platform error

Refund requests must be submitted within 7 days of the charge date in writing to the nominated email address.

Refunds will not be issued for:

• Partial usage of a billing period
• Failure to cancel before renewal
• Dissatisfaction with site performance after publishing
• Misconfiguration or user error
• Custom development or professional services
• Domain registrations or third-party services purchased through the platform

Contact for Refund Requests:

support@pylonsites.co.za

Requests must include your account email, the transaction ID, and the reason for the refund request.

9. Domain Purchases

If Users purchase domain names through the Pylon Platform:

• Domain registrations are non-refundable once registered — this follows standard industry registrar policies
• Domains may be transferred according to domain registry rules

10. Chargebacks

Users are encouraged to contact DFC support before initiating a chargeback through their bank. Initiating a fraudulent chargeback may result in:

• Immediate suspension of the account
• Permanent termination of services
• Restriction from future platform access

11. Account Suspension After Cancellation

After cancellation or subscription expiry:

• Sites may be taken offline
• Data may be retained for up to 60 days
• After this period, DFC may permanently delete site data

12. User Responsibilities

Users are responsible for:

• All content published on their sites
• Compliance with applicable laws
• Compliance with payment processor requirements
• Managing customer interactions and transactions

DFC does not review or guarantee the legality of User content.

13. Prohibited Uses

Users may not use the Pylon Platform to host or to distribute content that is illegal, harmful, or abusive, including but not limited to:

13.1 Illegal Content

• Content that violates any applicable law or regulation
• Fraudulent schemes or deceptive practices
• Stolen goods or services

13.2 Intellectual Property Infringement

• Pirated software, movies, or media
• Unauthorised use of copyrighted material
• Counterfeit products or trademark violations

13.3 Fraud and Deception

• Phishing websites
• Impersonation of individuals or businesses
• Fake storefronts or scam shops
• Pyramid schemes or investment scams

13.4 Harmful or Malicious Content

• Malware, spyware, or viruses
• Code intended to disrupt systems or steal data
• Botnets or automated abuse systems

13.5 Hate and Abuse

• Hate speech or discrimination
• Content promoting violence
• Harassment or bullying

13.6 Restricted or Regulated Goods

Where prohibited by law:

• Illegal drugs or substances
• Weapons or controlled items
• Unlicensed financial services

13.7 Adult Content (Platform Restriction)

Unless explicitly permitted by DFC:

• Pornographic material
• Exploitative or harmful adult content

DFC reserves the right to suspend or to remove content that violates these terms.

14. Ecommerce Responsibilities

Users operating online stores through the Pylon Platform must:

• Accurately represent products and services
• Fulfil orders in a timely manner
• Provide valid contact information
• Comply with consumer protection laws

Users who sell goods or services through the Pylon Platform are solely responsible for:

• Product listings and pricing
• Order fulfilment and shipping
• Customer service
• Applicable taxes
• Refunds to their customers

DFC is not the merchant of record and is not responsible for disputes between users and their customers.

15. Enforcement and Actions

DFC reserves the right to take action against violations of this Policy at its sole discretion. Actions may include:

• Content removal
• Site suspension
• Account suspension or termination
• Payment restrictions
• Reporting to law enforcement

For serious violations — including fraud, illegal activity, or security threats — DFC may suspend or terminate accounts without prior notice and remove content immediately.

16. Reporting Violations

If you believe a site or User is violating these Terms, please report it to us.

support@pylonsites.co.za

Please include the URL of the site, a description of the violation, and any supporting evidence where available.

17. Domains

Users may publish sites using:

• Platform-provided domains
• Custom domains they own

Users are responsible for maintaining domain ownership and renewals. If a domain expires or is transferred, the associated site may become inaccessible.

18. Content Ownership

Users retain ownership of all content they upload to their sites, including text, images, product data, and customer information. By uploading content, you grant DFC a limited license to host and display that content solely for the purpose of operating the Pylon Platform.

19. Intellectual Property

The Pylon Platform — including its software, design systems, infrastructure, templates, and branding — remains the exclusive property of DFC. Users may not copy, reverse engineer, or redistribute the Pylon platform.

In the event that Users do not comply with the aforesaid, legal action will be taken against them.

20. Platform Availability

DFC aims to maintain reliable service but does not guarantee uninterrupted availability of the Pylon Platform. Service interruptions may occur due to maintenance, security updates, infrastructure outages, or third-party service disruptions. DFC is not liable for business losses caused by service interruptions.

21. Suspension and Termination

DFC may:

• Suspend access to an account and / or cancel a user account without any notice in the event of unauthorised and / or illegal use of the Pylon Platform
• Suspend a user account for failure to pay subscription fees and cancel the account if the user fails to pay notwithstanding notice / demand
• Suspend access to an account due to any other breach of the Terms and to cancel the account if the user fails to remedy the breach

22. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, DFC shall not be liable for loss of profits, business interruptions, loss of data, customer disputes, or third-party service failures. Total liability shall not exceed the amount paid by the User to DFC during the previous billing cycle.

23. Indemnification

Users agree to indemnify and to hold DFC harmless against any claims arising from content published on the Pylon Platform, products sold or services rendered through the Pylon Platform, any violations of law or third-party rights and for the avoidance of doubt any and all disputes between Users and Customers.

24. Privacy

User data is processed in accordance with the Pylon Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws, including the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).

25. Changes to Terms

DFC may update these Terms periodically. Users will be notified of significant changes via the email address associated with their account. Continued use of the Pylon Platform constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

26. Governing Law

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

27. Dispute resolution

In the event of there being any dispute or difference between the Parties (DFC and the User) relating to or arising out of the Terms (including but not limited to any dispute or difference as to the validity or otherwise of these Terms, or as to the enforceability of the Terms), the said dispute or difference shall on written demand by either Party be submitted to arbitration in Johannesburg in accordance with the rules of the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa (“AFSA”), which arbitration shall be administered by AFSA.

Should AFSA, as an institution, not be operating at the time or not be accepting requests for arbitration for any reason, or should AFSA refuse to accept the particular request for arbitration for whatever reason, then the arbitration shall be conducted by an arbitrator appointed by agreement between the parties to the dispute or failing agreement within 10 business days of the demand for arbitration, then any Party to the dispute shall be entitled to forthwith call upon the Chairperson of the Legal Practice Council, or its successor in title, to nominate the arbitrator, provided that the person so nominated shall be an attorney or advocate of not less than 10 years standing as such and shall practice in commercial disputes.

The parties hereby agree that the award of the arbitrator shall be final and binding on both Parties and may be made an order of court on application by any Party.

Nothing contained in any of the policies issued by DFC shall be deemed to prevent or prohibit a Party to the arbitration from applying to the appropriate court for urgent relief or for judgment in relation to a liquidated claim.

The Parties agree that the written demand by any relevant party, shall be deemed to be a legal process for the purpose of interrupting extinctive prescription in terms of the Prescription Act 68 of 1969.

28. Contact Information

support@pylonsites.co.za

For any questions or concerns regarding these Terms of Service.