Domain Disputes Resolution

1. Policy Overview

HOSTMYWEBCLOUD SOUTH AFRICA (Pty) Ltd operates as an accredited registrar bound by national and international registry authorities. All domain registrants agree to submit to the appropriate administrative dispute resolution proceedings in the event of third-party trademark or ownership claims.

2. South African .ZA Domain Disputes (ZADNA & ZACR)

Disputes regarding second-level .ZA domain names (such as .co.za, .net.za, .org.za, and .web.za) are regulated by the .ZA Domain Name Authority (ZADNA) and administered through the ZA Central Registry (ZACR):

• Adjudication Body: Formal complaints must be lodged with approved .ZA Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) providers (such as SAIIPL).
• Abusive vs. Abrogated Registrations: Decisions are evaluated on whether a domain registration constitutes an abusive or offensive registration under national regulations.
• Registrar Action: HostMyWebCloud will enforce official transfer, suspension, or deletion directives issued by ZACR/ZADNA accredited dispute providers or South African high courts.

3. ZA Cities Registry (.joburg, .capetown, .durban)

Disputes relating to South African geographic TLDs (.joburg, .capetown, and .durban) are managed under the specialized domain dispute mechanisms established by Registry Africa and ZACR:

• Geographic & Rights Protection: Protection extends to registered trademarks and official civic names associated with South African metropolitan regions.
• Adjudication Compliance: Claims follow structured ADR processes and valid court orders recognized within South African jurisdiction.

4. Registry Africa & Continental gTLDs

For continental and regional generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs) managed under Registry Africa infrastructure (such as .africa):

• Uniform Rights Protection: Complaints are handled through standard ICANN Rights Protection Mechanisms, including UDRP and URS proceedings.
• Rights Abuse Prevention: Protections are active against bad-faith registrations affecting African commercial enterprises and geographic indicators.

5. ICANN Global TLD Disputes (UDRP & URS)

All global top-level domains (such as .com, .net, .org, .cloud, .tech) are governed by ICANN domain dispute resolution standards:

• Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP): Mandatory administrative proceedings for disputes alleging trademark infringement, lack of legitimate rights, or bad-faith registration.
• Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS): Rapid suspension mechanism designed for clear-cut instances of trademark infringement.
• Approved Providers: Proceedings are conducted before ICANN-approved dispute resolution providers (e.g., WIPO, FORUM).

6. Status Locks & Legal Compliance

Upon receipt of official notification of a pending UDRP, URS, or .ZA ADR proceeding, HostMyWebCloud will place an administrative lock on the domain name to prevent modification, transfer, or deletion until the dispute is formally resolved.

7. Submitting Legal Documentation & Assistance

To submit official court orders, dispute filings, or legal notices concerning domain names hosted with us, please contact our legal support desk:

Submit a Legal Request via Support Ticket