Creator terms

These terms apply when you join VELA as a creator. VELA acts as your booking agent. VELA is not your employer.

Your rate and VELA's fee

You set your own net rate for each kind of content. That is the amount you receive for the work. VELA adds its booking fee on top of your rate when it quotes a brand, so the fee never comes out of your rate. Your fee and VELA's booking fee are recorded separately on every deal.

Contact stays with VELA

All contact with brands that you meet through VELA goes through VELA: proposals, briefs, changes and payment. Please do not share your personal contact details with a brand through VELA, and do not ask a brand for theirs.

12-month non-circumvention

For 12 months after a brand is introduced to you through VELA, you agree not to work with that brand directly or through another agency without VELA. If a brand approaches you directly in that time, please tell VELA so the work can be booked through VELA.

Disclosing sponsored content

When you post content for a brand, you must say clearly that it is sponsored, as the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) code requires, for example with "#ad" or the platform's paid partnership label. This applies to paid work and to gifted products.

Accurate figures and no bought followers

The figures you report must be true and current. Do not buy followers, likes, views or comments, and do not use engagement groups or bots to inflate your figures. If VELA finds that figures were false or inflated, VELA may remove your profile, and a brand may claim back fees paid for the affected work.

You are an independent contractor

You work for yourself. You decide which proposals to accept and how you make your content, within each brief. VELA does not pay you a salary, leave or benefits, and does not deduct tax from your fees.

Tax: declare your income and gifts

You are responsible for your own tax. Declare the fees you earn to the South African Revenue Service (SARS), and declare gifted products at their market value, because SARS treats them as income. VELA does not give tax advice. If you are unsure, speak to a registered tax practitioner.