Everything you need to know about how the competition runs, how your money is used, and how we look after your family’s information.
Yes. Entering Little Star SA costs nothing. You send us one photo on WhatsApp and we issue your child a contestant number and a free official poster. Money only ever changes hands when supporters choose to buy voting packages.
Voting opens on the first of every month and closes at 23:59 on the last day. Supporters buy voting packages by EFT or WhatsApp, using your child’s contestant number as the payment reference. Votes are loaded to the leaderboard once payment is confirmed, usually within the hour.
Purely by public vote. The three contestants with the highest confirmed vote totals when the cycle closes take first, second and third place. There is no judging panel and no lucky draw — the nation decides.
Results are announced within 48 hours of the cycle closing. Cash prizes are paid by EFT within five working days into the account nominated by the parent or guardian. The iPad is couriered free of charge to any address in South Africa.
A fixed portion of every voting package goes directly into our school shoes fund, which buys shoes in bulk for learners at partner schools in under-resourced communities. The remainder covers prizes, courier costs and running the platform. We publish every donation drop.
Each competition runs from 00:00 on the first day of the calendar month to 23:59 on the last day of that same month, South African Standard Time. Entries received after the 25th may be carried over to the following cycle at our discretion.
Open to children aged 0–5 years who are resident in South Africa. Entries must be submitted by a parent or legal guardian, who must be 18 or older. One active entry per child per cycle.
Photos must be of the entered child alone, clearly lit, and free of text overlays, watermarks or heavy filters. By submitting, you confirm you own the photograph or have the photographer’s permission, and you grant Little Star SA a licence to display it on this website and our social channels for the purposes of the competition.
Votes are only counted once payment has cleared and been matched to a contestant reference. We reserve the right to withhold or reverse votes linked to fraudulent, reversed or disputed payments, and to disqualify any entry associated with manipulation, abuse or harassment of other entrants.
Prizes are as advertised on the Prizes page and are not transferable or exchangeable for alternative goods. Cash prizes are paid by EFT to a South African bank account in the name of the parent or guardian. We may substitute a prize of equal or greater value if the advertised item becomes unavailable.
Little Star SA may amend these rules, suspend a cycle, or remove any entry that breaches these rules or that we reasonably consider inappropriate. Our decision on all competition matters is final.
By entering the competition, voting, or otherwise using littlestarsa.co.za, you agree to these terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the service.
All amounts are quoted in South African Rand and include VAT where applicable. Voting packages are a voluntary contribution in support of a contestant and the school shoes initiative. Because votes are applied immediately on confirmation, payments are non-refundable except where a payment was made in error and reported to us within 24 hours.
You may not upload unlawful, offensive or misleading content, impersonate another person, or attempt to interfere with the operation or security of the platform.
We provide the platform on an “as is” basis and do not warrant uninterrupted or error-free operation. To the fullest extent permitted by South African law, Little Star SA is not liable for indirect or consequential loss arising from your use of the service. Nothing in these terms limits liability that cannot lawfully be limited.
These terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa, and the South African courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
Queries about these terms may be sent to support@littlestarsa.co.za.
Little Star SA processes personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA). We collect only what we need to run the competition.
The child’s first name, age and province; the submitted photograph; and the parent or guardian’s name, WhatsApp number and email address. For prize payouts we additionally collect banking details, which are used solely to make the payment.
To register and display entries, to operate voting and the leaderboard, to contact you about your entry, and to pay prizes. We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it with third parties except payment and courier providers acting on our instruction.
All information relating to a child is submitted by a parent or legal guardian, who consents to its display for competition purposes. You may ask us to remove a child’s photograph and details at any time and we will act on it promptly.
Entry records are kept for 24 months, after which they are deleted or anonymised. You have the right to access, correct or delete your personal information, and to object to its processing. Write to support@littlestarsa.co.za.
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Our support desk answers every message, usually within one working day.