Cancellation and Refund Policy

GateOne Technologies Limited (“GateOne” or “the Company”) is a payment system business designated by the Bank of Zambia under the National Payment Systems Act No. 1 of 2007. The Company provides digital payment and fare-collection services, including GatePay and the Mango+ transport payment system.

This Policy sets out when a refund is due, how to request one, how long it takes, and how merchants may cancel the Company’s services.

This Policy is issued in line with the Bank of Zambia (Customer Complaints Handling and Resolution) Directives, 2020 and the National Payment Systems Directives on Domestic Automated Teller Machine, Point of Sale, Internet Transactions and Mobile Payments.

This Policy applies to:

• payments made by customers to merchants through the Company, by bank card, mobile money, QR code, USSD or the Poketi wallet; and
• fees and subscriptions paid to the Company by merchants for the use of its services.

Where a customer pays a merchant through the Company for goods or services, the merchant is responsible for those goods or services and decides whether a refund is due. The customer shall first contact the merchant.

A merchant that approves a refund shall instruct the Company in writing. The Company shall pay the refund to the customer’s original payment method and deduct it from the merchant’s next settlement.

Where the customer cannot reach the merchant, or the matter is not resolved, the customer may contact the Company under Section 8.

Merchants shall not add a surcharge to a payment made through the Company’s services. Any surcharge paid by a customer shall be refunded and recovered from the merchant.

A fare paid at the approved rate for a completed trip is not refundable.

A passenger shall be refunded where the passenger was:

• charged more than once for the same trip;
• charged more than the approved fare; or
• charged for a trip that did not take place.

Where the incorrect charge was caused by the driver or operator, the refund shall be deducted from the driver’s or operator’s next payment. Where it was caused by the Company’s system, the Company bears it.

Passengers should report an incorrect charge within thirty (30) days of the transaction. Later requests shall still be considered.

All applicable fees are shown to the customer before each transaction.

No fee is charged on a transaction that fails because of a technical failure of the Company’s system or the National Financial Switch. Where a customer is debited for a failed transaction, the amount and any fee shall be reversed in full.

A merchant may cancel its use of the Company’s services at any time by written notice. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the period already paid for. No cancellation penalty applies.

A subscription for a period that has started is not refunded, unless the Company ends the service before the end of that period, in which case the unused portion shall be refunded.

Fees on completed transactions are not refundable. Fees on a transaction reversed because of an error by the Company shall be refunded in full.

The Company shall give merchants at least thirty (30) days’ notice of any change in fees or subscriptions. A merchant who does not accept the change may cancel without penalty before it takes effect.

On cancellation, the Company shall settle all amounts due to the merchant, less fees owed and any pending refunds or reversals.

Refunds are paid only to the original payment method. No cash refunds are made.

Refunds are made for the amount originally paid. Where a card issuer applies currency conversion, the Company is not responsible for any exchange rate difference.

Card customers may also raise a dispute with their card issuer. Customers are encouraged to contact the Company first, as this is ordinarily faster.

A refund may be requested through the complaint form on www.gate1technologies.com, by email to info@gate1technologies.com, by WhatsApp on +260 963 539 066, through the customer service line on +260 211 250 027, or in person at Sphinx Tower, 2nd Floor, Left Wing, Plot No. 5, Mwaimwena Road, Rhodespark, Lusaka.

The customer shall provide their name and phone number, the transaction reference or receipt, the date, amount and payment method, and the reason for the request.

Every request is logged in the Company’s Complaint System. The customer shall receive an acknowledgement with a ticket number within twenty-four (24) hours.

The Company shall resolve a refund request within five (5) working days, or within fifteen (15) working days where the request involves a merchant, bank or mobile money operator. Where a request will take longer than five (5) working days, the Company shall inform the customer within two (2) working days of receipt and give an expected date. Time spent waiting for information requested from the customer is not counted.

An approved refund shall be paid within two (2) working days of approval. Mobile money refunds ordinarily reflect on the same day, and card refunds within seven (7) to fourteen (14) working days, depending on the customer’s bank.

A customer whose request is not resolved within fifteen (15) working days, or who is not satisfied with the outcome, may escalate the matter in writing to the Chief Executive Officer, at the Company’s offices or by email to info@gate1technologies.com marked “Escalation – CEO”. The Chief Executive Officer shall respond in writing within ten (10) working days.

A customer who remains dissatisfied after the Company’s final response may refer the matter, within six (6) months of that response, to the Bank of Zambia, Financial Conduct Supervision, Bank Square, Cairo Road, Lusaka; +260 211 399300; complaints@boz.zm.

Within the Company:

• Customer Care logs every refund request, keeps the customer informed and communicates the outcome;
• the Operations Team investigates each request and confirms whether a refund is due;
• the Settlement and Finance Team pays approved refunds and recovers amounts from merchants, drivers or operators where this Policy allows;
• the Chief Operating Officer approves refunds and the closure of each request; and
• the Chief Legal & Compliance Officer oversees compliance with this Policy. Requests that suggest fraud or an unauthorized transaction are referred to the Money Laundering Reporting Officer.

This Policy shall be reviewed annually, or earlier where a change in law, regulatory requirement or the Company’s services requires it. The current version shall be published on www.gate1technologies.com.