Terms of Use

Welcome to the The Stratum website and subscription platform. The terms "The Stratum", "we", "us" refer to The Stratum Media (Pty) Ltd. The terms "Client", "Subscriber", "you" refer to users visiting this portal.

1. Conditions of access

By browsing, accessing pages, or registering for newsletters and digital subscriptions, you agree to comply with these terms, our cookies statement, and South African digital usage regulations. If you disagree with any portion, please withdraw from this webpage immediately.

2. Service Description

The Stratum provides premium, independent digital news, investigative content, and analytical newsletter feeds. Some sections are protected by payment wall checkpoints and reserved solely for registered paying subscribers.

3. Fees, Payments, and billing

Subscription prices are visible on our subscription tables and are expressed in South African Rand (ZAR) containing relevant local value taxes. We reserve the rights to alter rates with advance notifications sent to subscribers. Cancelations of memberships take effect toward the end of your billing cycle.

4. Client Code of Conduct

Clients are strictly barred from: replicating, copying, or distributing our newsletters and investigative reports across corporate channels; exploiting materials for non-personal commercial tasks; posting offensive content within reader threads; attempting malicious actions against digital servers.

5. Intellectual Safeguards

All items published on this domain—from investigative texts, photo journalism, layout design, icons, and logo graphics—remain the exclusive legal intellectual asset of The Stratum Media (Pty) Ltd. Any unauthorized use represents copyright violation.

6. Disclaimers & Disruption limits

Our news and analysis are compiled with care. However, they are provided "as is" to help inform individual perspectives. The Stratum does not pledge that servers, daily reports, or emails will proceed without accidental network timeouts, glitches, or data delay, and accepts no liability in relation as allowed under local laws.

7. Indemnity clause

You agree to fully defend and indemnify The Stratum Media (Pty) Ltd from any actions, legal pursuits, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) originating from your breach of these terms or misuse of subscription accounts.

8. Competent Court and Laws

These terms and conditions are framed and regulated solely. Any legal friction, claims, or conflicts will be adjudicated before the competent courts situated in Cape Town, South Africa, strictly applying South African legislation.

Last Updated: May 15, 2026