Last Updated: July 2026
1. Acceptance of Terms
By registering for, accessing or using TrustMate, including the TrustMate website, mobile applications and related services (collectively, the "Platform"), you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not register for or use the Platform. Certain features or services may require additional terms, consents or acknowledgements.
2. About TrustMate and Our Role
TrustMate provides a technology marketplace, reputation and rental-management platform that enables vehicle owners and drivers to discover, assess, communicate with, match with and manage rental relationships with one another. TrustMate may provide services including user verification, vehicle listings, matching, ratings and reviews, TrustScore calculations, payment records, vehicle inspection records, incident reporting, telematics, trip information and other related technology services.
TrustMate does not own, rent, lease, operate or control vehicles listed on the Platform. TrustMate is not a vehicle rental company, employer, recruitment agency, insurer, financial institution, security company or guarantor of any user. Unless expressly stated otherwise in writing by TrustMate, any rental, lease, deposit, payment, vehicle handover or other arrangement is entered into directly between the vehicle owner and driver. TrustMate is not a party to the rental or other agreement entered into between a vehicle owner and driver. Owners and drivers are solely responsible for agreeing to and complying with the terms of their arrangement.
3. Eligibility and User Responsibilities
Users must: be at least 18 years old; have the legal capacity to enter into agreements; provide accurate, complete and current information; maintain the security of their account; not allow another person to use their account; comply with applicable South African laws; use the Platform for lawful purposes; and promptly notify TrustMate of suspected unauthorised account access.
Drivers are responsible for ensuring that they hold all licences, permits and authorisations legally required for the intended use of a vehicle. Vehicle owners are responsible for confirming that they are legally entitled to list and make a vehicle available to another person.
4. User Verification and Screening
TrustMate may collect, review or verify information submitted by users, including identity documents, driver's licences, Professional Driving Permits, criminal background check information, contact information, vehicle information and other supporting documents. Verification or approval by TrustMate means only that TrustMate has completed the verification or review processes applicable at the relevant time. Verification, profile approval or account approval does not constitute a guarantee, warranty or endorsement of a user's identity, honesty, financial reliability, driving ability, safety, conduct or future performance. TrustMate does not guarantee that information provided by a user is accurate, genuine, complete or current. Users remain responsible for conducting their own assessment and due diligence before entering into any arrangement with another user.
5. Vehicle Listings
Vehicle owners are responsible for the accuracy of vehicle information displayed on the Platform. Owners must disclose material information reasonably relevant to a driver's decision to apply for or accept a vehicle, including where applicable: rental amount; payment frequency; deposit requirements; insurance status; intended vehicle use; vehicle condition; security or tracking requirements; and other material rental requirements. TrustMate does not independently guarantee the condition, roadworthiness, ownership, insurance status or suitability of any vehicle unless expressly confirmed otherwise in writing.
6. Matching and Rental Relationships
A match, application approval or connection through TrustMate does not automatically mean that a rental agreement has been concluded or that a vehicle has been handed over. Owners and drivers remain responsible for agreeing on rental terms. A user may decline to proceed with a rental where the parties do not agree on the rental terms or where the user reasonably feels unsafe. TrustMate does not guarantee that a match will result in a successful vehicle handover or rental relationship. TrustMate does not provide legal advice regarding rental agreements.
7. Deposits, Rental Payments and Other Payments
Unless expressly stated otherwise through an authorised TrustMate payment service, TrustMate does not collect, receive, hold, safeguard or guarantee deposits, rental payments or other funds transferred directly between users. Any payment made directly by one user to another is a transaction between those users. Users are responsible for verifying payment instructions before transferring money. Vehicle owners must disclose deposit requirements before vehicle handover. Drivers should not make payments that are inconsistent with rental terms disclosed or confirmed through the Platform.
TrustMate is not responsible for deposits, rental payments or other amounts voluntarily transferred directly to another user, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Suspicious payment requests or suspected fraudulent conduct should be reported to TrustMate. TrustMate may investigate and take appropriate action against accounts reasonably suspected of fraud or attempted fraud.
8. Physical Meetings and Vehicle Handovers
Meetings, vehicle inspections and vehicle handovers between users are arranged and attended at the users' own discretion. TrustMate does not supervise physical meetings or vehicle handovers and cannot guarantee the safety, conduct or intentions of any person attending a meeting.
Users are encouraged to: meet in safe, public and well-lit locations; inform a trusted person of the meeting; verify the identity of the person they are meeting; avoid carrying unnecessary cash; confirm rental and deposit requirements before attending a handover; and decline to proceed where they reasonably feel unsafe. Either party may bring another person to a meeting. Users must not engage in threatening, intimidating, violent or unlawful conduct.
9. Vehicle Theft, Unauthorised Use and Failure to Return a Vehicle
Vehicle owners acknowledge that making a vehicle available to another person carries inherent risks. TrustMate is not responsible for the theft, disappearance, unauthorised use, misuse, unlawful disposal or failure to return a vehicle by a driver or any other person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Vehicle owners are responsible for assessing drivers, maintaining appropriate insurance and implementing security measures they consider appropriate before handing over a vehicle. TrustMate does not guarantee the recovery of any stolen, missing or unreturned vehicle. TrustMate may, where reasonably possible and legally permitted, preserve or provide relevant Platform records to authorised law enforcement authorities or assist with an investigation. Such assistance does not make TrustMate responsible for the theft, loss or recovery of a vehicle.
10. Vehicle Damage, Accidents and Mechanical Problems
TrustMate is not responsible for vehicle damage, mechanical failure, accidents, collisions, traffic violations, impoundment or other loss arising from the possession, operation or use of a vehicle by a user, to the fullest extent permitted by law. Owners and drivers are responsible for agreeing on responsibility for vehicle damage, insurance excess, maintenance, repairs, tyres, traffic fines, towing, vehicle recovery and other vehicle-related costs. Vehicle inspections, photographs, odometer records, incident reports and telematics information provided through TrustMate are record-keeping and risk-management tools. These tools do not constitute insurance and do not guarantee that damage, theft, accidents or disputes will be prevented.
11. Insurance
TrustMate does not provide insurance unless expressly stated otherwise in a separate written agreement or product. Vehicle owners are responsible for ensuring that their vehicles have insurance appropriate for their intended use. This may include rental, commercial or e-hailing use where applicable. Drivers and owners are responsible for understanding any restrictions, exclusions or requirements imposed by an insurer. TrustMate does not guarantee that an insurance policy is valid, appropriate or sufficient, or that an insurer will accept or pay a claim.
12. TrustScore, Ratings and Reviews
TrustMate may calculate and update TrustScores using information including: payment behaviour; ratings and reviews; vehicle care; rental history; inspection compliance; incident history; verification status; Platform activity; and driving or telematics information where applicable. TrustMate may modify the TrustScore methodology from time to time. TrustScores, ratings, reviews and reliability indicators are informational risk and reputation indicators only. They are not credit scores, financial advice, insurance assessments or guarantees of future behaviour. Past performance does not guarantee future conduct. TrustMate may review, moderate, remove, adjust or disregard ratings, reviews or other information reasonably believed to be false, misleading, abusive, manipulated or unsupported. Users must not submit false or malicious reports for the purpose of harming another user's TrustScore or reputation.
13. Telematics, Location and Trip Information
Where the necessary consent and device permissions have been provided, TrustMate may collect and process information including GPS location, trip information, mileage, speed information, speeding events, harsh braking, rapid acceleration, cornering behaviour, and crash or incident information. Telematics information may be affected by GPS accuracy, mobile devices, connectivity, operating system restrictions, battery settings and other technical factors. TrustMate does not guarantee that telematics, GPS, trip detection or location information will always be accurate, complete, continuous or available. Users must not rely on TrustMate as an emergency service or sole vehicle recovery system. TrustMate does not provide emergency response services.
14. Incidents and Complaints
Users may report incidents, complaints or suspected misconduct to TrustMate. TrustMate may request information, documents, photographs, messages or other evidence from users. TrustMate may review Platform records and take administrative action where reasonably appropriate. The submission of a complaint does not mean that TrustMate accepts the allegations as true. TrustMate is not a court, arbitrator, law enforcement authority or debt collection agency. TrustMate's administrative decisions regarding account access, TrustScores or Platform participation do not determine the legal rights, criminal liability or civil liability of users.
15. Disputes Between Users
Disputes relating to rental terms, deposits, rental payments, vehicle handovers, vehicle condition, damage, accidents, vehicle return, insurance or the conduct of another user are primarily disputes between the relevant vehicle owner and driver. TrustMate may, at its discretion, facilitate communication, review Platform records or take action regarding access to the Platform. TrustMate does not guarantee that it will resolve a dispute between users. Nothing in these Terms prevents a user from seeking independent legal advice, approaching law enforcement or exercising any right available under South African law.
16. Fraud, Scams and Criminal Conduct
Users must not use TrustMate to: commit or attempt fraud; scam another user; steal or unlawfully use a vehicle; provide false documents or information; impersonate another person; manipulate TrustScores, ratings or reviews; threaten, intimidate or harass another user; engage in unlawful conduct; or facilitate criminal activity. TrustMate may suspend, restrict or terminate accounts reasonably suspected of serious misconduct. TrustMate may preserve and disclose information to law enforcement or other competent authorities where permitted or required by law.
17. Suspension and Termination
TrustMate may suspend, restrict or terminate an account where TrustMate reasonably believes that a user has: provided false information; engaged in fraud or attempted fraud; been involved in vehicle theft or unlawful vehicle use; abused another user; manipulated Platform records; misused TrustMate; breached these Terms; or engaged in conduct creating a material safety, legal or reputational risk to the Platform or its users. TrustMate may take urgent temporary action while a matter is being reviewed. TrustMate does not guarantee continued access to the Platform. Any action taken by TrustMate regarding a user's Platform account does not constitute a finding of criminal or civil liability.
18. In-Platform Chat and Message Monitoring
TrustMate provides an in-platform chat feature to facilitate communication and rental term negotiations between matched vehicle owners and drivers. By using this chat feature, users acknowledge and agree that: (a) all messages sent through TrustMate's chat are stored on TrustMate's systems; (b) TrustMate and its authorised personnel may access, review and monitor chat messages for purposes including safety, dispute resolution, fraud prevention, compliance with these Terms, and improvement of the Platform; (c) chat messages may be disclosed to law enforcement or other competent authorities where permitted or required by law; and (d) users should not share sensitive personal information (such as banking details, passwords or OTPs) through the chat. This monitoring is conducted in accordance with TrustMate's Privacy Policy and applicable South African law, including POPIA. Users who do not wish their messages to be accessible to TrustMate should communicate through other means outside the Platform.
19. Third-Party Services
TrustMate may rely on third-party providers for services including identity verification, cloud hosting, communications, email, WhatsApp messaging, mapping, location services, payment services and analytics. TrustMate does not control all third-party services and does not guarantee that they will always be available or error-free. The use of certain third-party services may be subject to additional terms or privacy policies.
20. Platform Availability
TrustMate may modify, suspend or discontinue features of the Platform. The Platform is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis, subject to applicable law. TrustMate does not guarantee uninterrupted, error-free or continuous availability. Technical failures, maintenance, mobile connectivity, device limitations or third-party service failures may affect Platform functionality.
21. Limitation of Liability
IMPORTANT: THIS CLAUSE LIMITS TRUSTMATE'S RISK AND LIABILITY. USERS SHOULD READ IT CAREFULLY.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, TrustMate shall not be liable for indirect, incidental, special or consequential loss arising from interactions, transactions or agreements between users. This includes, without limitation and to the fullest extent permitted by law, loss arising from: vehicle theft or disappearance; failure to return a vehicle; vehicle damage; accidents or injury; fraud or scams committed by another user; deposits or rental payments transferred directly between users; loss of income or business; conduct of another user; inaccurate information submitted by another user; a failed match or rental relationship; or reliance on TrustScores, ratings, reviews or telematics information. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any liability that may not lawfully be excluded or limited under applicable South African law.
22. User Indemnity
To the extent permitted by applicable law, each user agrees to indemnify TrustMate, its directors, employees and authorised representatives against third-party claims, losses, damages or reasonable expenses arising from: the user's unlawful conduct; the user's breach of these Terms; false information submitted by the user; the user's misuse of the Platform; the user's vehicle or operation of a vehicle; or the user's breach of an agreement with another user. This clause does not apply to the extent that liability cannot lawfully be excluded or transferred.
23. Consumer Rights
Nothing in these Terms is intended to unlawfully waive, exclude or restrict any right or remedy available to a user under applicable South African consumer protection law. Where any provision of these Terms conflicts with a mandatory provision of applicable law, the mandatory legal provision will apply.
24. Intellectual Property
TrustMate and its related names, logos, Platform designs, software, TrustScore systems and content are owned by or licensed to TrustMate. Users may not copy, reproduce, reverse engineer, commercially exploit or use TrustMate intellectual property without written permission, except where permitted by law.
25. Changes to These Terms
TrustMate may amend these Terms from time to time. Material changes may be communicated through the Platform, email, WhatsApp, push notification or other reasonable means. TrustMate may require users to accept updated Terms before continuing to use certain Platform services. The version and effective date of the Terms will be displayed on the Platform.
26. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any dispute relating to these Terms will be subject to the jurisdiction of the competent courts of the Republic of South Africa, subject to any rights or dispute resolution procedures available under applicable law.
27. Contact
Questions, complaints or notices relating to these Terms may be submitted through the contact details provided on the TrustMate Platform.