Prohibited & Restricted Items Policy

This Policy lists what may not be bought, sold, sourced, collected, or delivered through the eRunna platform (the "Services") — whether on the marketplace, via a buy-for-me errand, or otherwise. It applies to customers, merchants, and runners, and is incorporated into our Terms of Service, Merchant Agreement, and Runner Terms.

1. How this works

• Prohibited items may never be transacted through eRunna. Where we identify an attempt, we act on it — the transaction is stopped, and repeat attempts or merchant listings are escalated and may be reported to the authorities.
• Restricted items may be transacted only where a condition is met (the recipient's age, a valid permit or licence, or an eligible merchant). Absent the condition, they are treated as prohibited for that transaction. Meeting that condition is the responsibility of the licensed seller and the person handing the goods over — see section 4 for how this is enforced.
• A runner has an explicit right and duty to refuse any errand requiring a prohibited item, with no penalty.

2. Prohibited — never permitted

• Counterfeit, replica, or trademark-infringing goods (Counterfeit Goods Act 37 of 1997; Trade Marks Act 194 of 1993 — counsel to confirm).
• Illicit or untaxed tobacco and related products.
• Unregistered, expired, or counterfeit medicines and cosmetics (Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965; SAHPRA registration — counsel to confirm).
• Weapons, ammunition, and controlled self-defence items beyond legal limits.
• Illegal drugs, controlled substances sold outside a lawful channel, and related paraphernalia.
• Stolen goods or any item the seller cannot show lawful title to.
• Wildlife, ivory, and protected or endangered-species products.
• Fraudulent identity or official documents.

3. Restricted — only if the condition is met

The conditions below are legal requirements on the licensed seller and on whoever hands the goods over. eRunna does not currently perform automated age verification or licence checking at the point of order or handover, and no one should treat a completed eRunna order as evidence that a condition was checked. Where a condition cannot lawfully be met, the item is prohibited for that transaction and a runner must refuse it.

• Alcohol — the recipient must be 18+ and the seller must hold a valid liquor licence; not to be handed to underage or visibly intoxicated recipients (Liquor Act 59 of 2003 — counsel to confirm).
• Legal tobacco / vapes — the recipient must be 18+; duty-paid stock from a registered retailer.
• Over-the-counter medicines — from a registered pharmacy or retailer, within scheduling limits. Scheduled medicines may not be transacted through eRunna at all.
• High-value electronics — the seller must be able to show proof of purchase or lawful title on request.
• Adult goods — the recipient must be 18+; lawful content only.

4. Enforcement

Enforcement of this Policy is currently review-based, not automated. In practice that means:

• Merchant vetting at onboarding. Merchants must supply identifying and regulatory documents before they can trade on the marketplace, and we may decline or de-list a merchant who cannot produce what their category requires.
• Refusal at the point of handover. A runner may refuse — and for prohibited items must refuse — any item that breaches this Policy, with no penalty. This is the primary point at which an unlawful transaction is stopped.
• Reports and review. Customers, runners, and merchants can report a suspected breach through Support. Reports are reviewed by a person, and we keep a record of the enforcement actions we take.
• Account action. We may suspend or permanently deactivate accounts, de-list merchants, withhold payment on an unlawful transaction, and cooperate with the South African Police Service and the relevant regulatory authorities.

We do not currently operate automated screening that inspects every order or listing before it is placed, and this Policy should not be read as promising that a prohibited item will be intercepted by a system before a runner sees it. We are building toward category-based controls at merchant activation and item-level screening; this section will be updated as each control goes live, and not before.

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