The North West Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism has warned the public against non-compliant car dealers after conducting an investigation into numerous dealerships in the province.
The department, in partnership with the Motor Industry Ombudsman (Miosa) and the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS), conducted the investigation as part of efforts to ensure that the public’s consumer rights were being adhered to.
Miosa’s Luscious Bodibe said that following their investigations they had found that a host of dealerships were not complying with Section 51 of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), which takes into account the conditions of the sales agreement.
“We have noted that most of the businesses are taking advantage of consumers by not adhering to legislation and ignorance of the law is not an excuse. Although the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) provides some peace of mind for car buyers, consumers also need to be aware that their rights are not always unlimited,” said Bodibe.
Ruth Dzanibe, deputy director for consumer investigations, encouraged businesses to follow and comply with the regulations to avoid penalties in the future. – Bjorn Vorster
