About
An independent practice, built on ownership and honesty.
Kouga Digital is Michael Herbst's independent technology practice, based in Jeffreys Bay. The mission is simple: be the one trusted technology partner a Kouga home or business needs. Honest advice, fair Rand prices, no lock-in, and everything owned by you.
01. The promise
Any client of Kouga Digital could hand their records to another provider tomorrow and carry on without missing a beat. That is not a risk to the business; it is the whole sales pitch. When nothing traps you, the work has to be good enough that you stay.
Everything in your name
Domains, hosting accounts, software licences and hardware warranties are registered to you, not to Kouga Digital. Passwords live in your own vault, with access granted, never owned.
Written quotes, published rates
Fixed Rand prices are published on this site. Sourcing margins are disclosed on the quote. Work starts after you have a number in writing.
A handover file on every job
Every coding job ships with the production files, a commented educational copy, and a plain-language README. Every field job leaves you knowing more than before.
02. How I work
- Every enquiry is acknowledged the same business day.
- Standard resolution target: next business day.
- Care plan clients get same-day attention.
- No 24/7 promises. A one-person practice that claims otherwise is lying to you.
- This is a solo practice, run deliberately: retainer clients first, booked projects second, ad hoc work third.
- Never more than two website builds at once.
- If the honest answer is that someone else should do the job, you get a referral, not an over-commitment. A good referral earns more trust than a late delivery.
- POPIA-aware handling on every job, with consent noted before any data access.
- Minimal data retention: your information is not an asset to be hoarded.
- Remote support uses open-source tooling by default, and only with you watching.
- Client passwords are never held in plain text. Password managers (Bitwarden, KeePassXC) are the standard, in vaults you own.
- Wiring, DB boards, CCTV installation and similar trades run through vetted local partners.
- Kouga Digital designs and coordinates; partners invoice you directly where possible, so the money stays transparent.
03. Defaults that protect you
- ✓ .co.za domains at reputable SA registrars, in your name
- ✓ Hand-coded static sites: fast, secure, cheap to run
- ✓ SSL always included, never a line item
- ✓ Free tiers and open source where they genuinely fit
- ✓ Vendor-neutral advice, no reseller commissions
- ✓ Right-sized hardware, warrantied and registered to you
04. What I do not do
Clear limits are part of honest service. Kouga Digital does not offer:
- 24/7 service-level agreements.
- Enterprise ERP systems or on-premises Exchange.
- Forensic data recovery.
- Penetration testing or formal security assessment: these arrive only once the relevant certifications are earned, and not a day before.
Nothing is marketed beyond current, demonstrable competence. If your job needs one of the above, you will be told plainly and pointed to someone who does it well.
05. Sound like the right fit?
Start with something small: a callout, a cost audit, or a straight answer about a quote someone else gave you.