Qalo Ya Afrika

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FAIS Disclosure

Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services (FAIS) Disclosure

FINANCIAL ADVISORY AND INTERMEDIARY SERVICES (FAIS) DISCLOSURE

Qalo Ya Afrika 25 (Pty) Ltd Authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP) No. 53364

1. Our Legal Status and License

Qalo Ya Afrika 25 (Pty) Ltd ("Qalo Ya Afrika," "we," "our," or "the Platform") is an authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP) licensed by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) of South Africa.

FSP Number: 53364 FSP Category: I (Shares, LT Deposits and ST Deposits) Physical Address: 19 Tambach Road, Sunninghill, 2191

This license authorises us to render specific financial services as defined under the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, 2002 (FAIS Act).

2. Nature of Financial Service Offered

It is critical to understand the precise and limited nature of the financial service we provide.

What We ARE (Our Service): Qalo Ya Afrika is a digital facilitation platform. We provide the technological and operational framework that allows registered South African Cooperatives to pool their members' capital and connect with pre-screened South African Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) for the purpose of direct investment. This includes member onboarding support, contribution aggregation, and the provision of a marketplace for investment opportunities.

What We Are NOT (Explicit Exclusions):

  • We are NOT a financial advisor. We do NOT provide any advice, recommendations, guidance, or opinions on the merits, risks, suitability, or expected performance of any any Cooperative, SME, or investment opportunity.
  • We are NOT an intermediary in the traditional advisory sense. We do NOT act as an agent for any user in negotiating or concluding any financial product or investment.
  • We are NOT a fund manager. We do NOT make any investment decisions on behalf of Cooperatives or their members. We do NOT have discretion over any user's funds.
  • We do NOT endorse, rate, or guarantee any SME listed on the platform. Our vetting process is for operational legitimacy only (e.g., legal registration) and does NOT constitute a due diligence report or an assessment of investment viability.
3. Key Individuals and Representatives

Key Individual (KI): Naresh Ashok The Key Individual is responsible for overseeing and managing the financial services rendered by Qalo Ya Afrika and ensuring compliance with the FAIS Act.

Compliance Officer: Mrs. S.L. Schoeman Responsible for the development, implementation, and monitoring of the compliance framework.

All representatives of Qalo Ya Afrika operate strictly within the confines of this disclosed, limited service.

4. Products and Suppliers

Financial Product Facilitated: Our platform facilitates private placements from cooperatives into unlisted private companies (SMEs). These are unregulated, high-risk financial products.

Supplier/Issuer: The "supplier" or "issuer" of the financial product is the individual SME seeking investment. Each SME is an independent legal entity. Qalo Ya Afrika is not the issuer, supplier, or promoter of these products.

Our Role: We are the platform administrator and facilitator of the connection between the product supplier (the SME) and the investor (the Cooperative). We have agreements with the SMEs listed on our platform governing their use of our services.

5. Remuneration and Fees

Our remuneration is derived solely from fees charged for the use of our platform services. We do not earn commissions, success fees, or performance-based fees tied to the outcome of any specific investment from cooperatives.

Fees from Cooperatives: A periodic administrative fee per member for platform access and services.

Fees from SMEs: A fee based on a percentage of the capital successfully raised through the platform.

A detailed and transparent Fee Schedule is available on our website and provided to all prospective members before engagement. Our fee structure is designed to avoid conflicts of interest that could incentivise us to favour one transaction over another.

6. Conflict of Interest Management

We have a formal Conflict of Interest Management Policy (available on our website). Our primary conflict management strategy is the clear, upfront disclosure of our role and fee structure. We mitigate conflicts by:

  • Charging transparent, pre-disclosed fees.
  • Not providing advice that could be influenced by our fee income.
  • Maintaining a neutral platform where SME listings are not ordered or promoted based on commercial arrangements.
  • Requiring all staff to declare personal interests.
7. Complaints Resolution Procedure

We are committed to the fair and prompt resolution of any complaints regarding our financial service. Our internal complaints resolution process is as follows:

Lodge Complaint: Complaints must be submitted in writing to our Compliance Officer at complaints@qaloyaafrika.co.za or to our postal address.

Acknowledgement: We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint in writing within 5 business days.

Investigation: We will investigate the complaint and provide a written response with our findings and intended resolution within 20 business days.

Escalation: If you are not satisfied with our final response, you have the right to refer the matter to the FAIS Ombud within 6 months.

Office of the FAIS Ombud P.O. Box 74571, Lynnwood Ridge, 0040 Tel: 012 762 5000 / 012 470 9080 Email: info@faisombud.co.za Website: www.faisombud.co.za

8. Professional Indemnity Cover

Qalo Ya Afrika maintains Professional Indemnity (PI) insurance cover as required by the FAIS Act to provide protection in the event of a breach of our professional duties in the rendering of our financial service.

9. Your Responsibilities as a User

By using the Qalo Ya Afrika platform, you acknowledge and accept that:

  • All investment decisions are made solely by you (for Cooperatives, by your democratically elected leadership/Investment Committee).
  • You are solely responsible for conducting your own comprehensive due diligence on any SME before investing.
  • You should consider obtaining independent financial, legal, and tax advice.
  • You understand that investing in SMEs is high-risk and you could lose your entire investment.
  • You have read and understood this FAIS Disclosure and our Risk Warning Notice.

Acknowledgement By proceeding to use the Qalo Ya Afrika platform, you confirm that you have read, understood, and accept the terms of this FAIS Disclosure.

For further regulatory information, please contact the FSCA: Financial Sector Conduct Authority Tel: 0800 110 443 Email: info@fsca.co.za Website: www.fsca.co.za