Legal Articles and Guides
Net closes on direct marketers
SA’s direct marketing landscape is undergoing a major shift, with new laws imposing harsh penalties on violators. Consumers have faced a surge in spam messages and calls in recent years, even when consumers explicitly tell direct marketers to stop contacting them.
Truck trader ordered to pay up or replace vehicle
A Krugersdorp vehicle trader took advantage of a consumer, engaged in unconscionable conduct, and made misleading representations when selling her a defective used truck, the Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg) has confirmed.
Client loses bid to cancel car deal
A Gauteng consumer’s attempt to cancel a purchase of a newly bought vehicle has been dismissed by the National Consumer Tribunal, which found that the car was not defective and that the dispute stemmed from the buyer's misunderstanding rather than unlawful conduct by the dealership.
Dealership ordered to refund aggrieved motorist
The National Consumer Tribunal has ordered a Gauteng-based dealership to refund more than R320 000 to a buyer who was misled by false advertising.
Dealership ordered to refund vehicle purchase price
The National Consumer Tribunal has ordered Rifle Range Car Sales to refund a Mpumalanga man more than R207 000 after finding that the dealership sold him a defective Mahindra SUV.
Auctioneer fined over misleading Limpopo farm sale
The National Consumer Tribunal has fined an auctioneer R250 000 and ruled he must refund a Limpopo couple after selling them a game farm. The brochure for the sale showed all the amenities, including a dam, as well as some of the animals, including a crocodile.
Car dealership’s appeal against tribunal dismissed
The Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) has dismissed a used car dealer’s appeal against a Consumer Tribunal finding that it did not comply with the Consumer Protection Act and fined it R100 000 for non-compliance and ordered that it had to refund the consumer the R459 900 that he paid for the car.
Dealer ordered to refund Gauteng motorist
The Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) has agreed with a Consumer Tribunal ruling in January that a used car dealer must refund a consumer and pay an administrative fine of R100 000 for disregarding his rights and selling him a used car that had a defect.
Regulator enforces strict telemarketing rules
The government has taken strict measures to discourage telemarketers from bombarding cellphones with unsolicited adverts for products and services without their consent.
Vehicle dealership to refund purchase price
A Cape Town-based car dealership will refund a customer R150 000 for a Toyota Fortuner that developed defects on the day it was purchased.
Repossession order quashed over application tangle
The mandatory formal letter a credit provider must send to a consumer who is in default of a credit agreement, must be sent to the correct address, as chosen by the consumer, before a credit provider can take legal action.
Manufacturers recall Ford, BMW, VW and Hino vehicles
The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has announced that a series of critical vehicle recalls have been issued by car manufacturers, including Ford, BMW, Volkswagen, and Hino for certain models.
Rising online scams call for law change
The government must crack down on foreign online vendors beyond the jurisdiction of SA consumer protection bodies, argues columnist Chris Barron in BusinessLIVE.
Jaguar denies liability for repairs
Jaguar Land Rover says it cannot be held responsible for repairs to a R1.633m Jaguar Defender which has apparently been returned at least 13 times over a three-year period due to recurring failures, reports the Cape Times.
Ombud recovers R11.9m as online complaints increase
The Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO) has recovered just more than R11.9m for consumers in the past financial year as the number of complaints rose.
