IT disposal services

The service we provide for companies and other organisations is underpinned by processes designed to protect any data that may be stored on hard drives. Our processes are underpinned by ISO certifications including 9001, 27001, 14001, 45001. We collect equipment by secure transport and taken to a secure facility for processing. If companies prefer, we can arrange onsite wiping.

Our general policy is to charge for the collection of equipment and for recycling what we can’t reuse. However, we vary or waive the charges where we reuse much of the donated equipment. We seek to cover our core costs through the residual value in the assets donated. Thus, whilst we charge for the computers we provide, we do so at much lower rates than market prices.

Companies donating their computers receive free of charge:

• Test reports listing the equipment by brand, model, serial number and specification showing which has been recycled and which is available for reuse.
• Certificates of disposal guaranteeing that all data has been destroyed
• Sustainability reports identifying the tonnage collected, the amount sustainably recycled and the carbon saved through reuse
• Asset tracking reports on where donated computers went, who is using them and for what purpose – we will provide photos and case studies for company CSR reports

Companies will also receive credits under B-BBEE programme, and we can issue Section 18A tax exemption certificates on the value of the equipment or funds.

Laptops and Desktop PCs

Whilst we collect and process all forms of IT including servers, switches and printers, the items for reuse are laptops, PCs, monitors, tablets and mobile phones. All our processes ensure complete data security. Hard drives are wiped to UN standards before being refurbished for reuse.

We operate a minimum specification for reuse; no more than 6 years old, an i3 processor or higher, 250GB hard drive, 4GB RAM and in working order. Monitors must be 19 inches or larger. Mobile phones and tablets must be no older than 6 years and in working order.  

Computer Aid installs the Windows 10 operating system as standard before assets are provided to beneficiaries. We receive a charitable rate from Microsoft for the licenses. We are able to install other operating systems but most of our beneficiaries want the industry standard.

Our ITAD Partner

We have partnered with Xperien a company with a 22-year history in South Africa of providing cost-effective solutions to combat the challenges associated with data loss and to mitigate reputational risk. Their compliance meets the NIST 800-88, DoD 5220.22-M and CEGS criteria, particularly in terms of data-destruction processes, while adherence to the Protection of Personal Information Act of 2013 (POPIA) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is core to their business. They have the ISO accreditations 9001, 27001, 14001, 45001.

Global Operations

Most major companies in South Africa have offices in other countries. Computer Aid can collect equipment in most countries, wipe the hard drives to the same UN standards and process equipment for reuse within that country. The processes used maintain full data security. Computer Aid operates through a network of ITAD partners who work to the same UN standards. Equipment that cannot be reused is sustainably recycled. For example, with Computer Aid International, equipment has been collected, refurbished and sustainably recycled equipment in India, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Canada, Poland, Hungary, all four Scandinavian countries and the USA and here in South Africa we have collected equipment from Nasua Cape Town, Digital Frontier Cape Town, MyMobileZA.