Consumer complaints, Complaint procedures, Useful Consumer Contact Details:
Consumer Complaints:
Complaints may be made by any consumer, or by an interested person on behalf of a consumer. Public interest cases may be brought by NGO’s on behalf of consumers. The Act provides for Special legal remedies such as:
- Class actions,
- Damages,
- Discrimination complaints may be brought to both the Equality Court and the National Consumer Commission for referral to the Equality Court.
Processes:
- Consumers are encouraged to go to the supplier as their first port of call to resolve the dispute.
- If there is no resolution, refer the matter to a Dispute Resolution Agent, who will attempt to resolve the matter through an Alternative Dispute Resolution process.
- Then referral by the NCC of minor matters to Provincial Office who will escalate the matter to Provincial Consumer Courts.
- Then the Commission/ Tribunal as the last resolution to individual complaints.
The National Consumer Commission will investigate complaints, and refer cases to the Consumer Tribunal. The Consumer Tribunal will have authority to declare the act contravened, order changes in practice, impose administrative fines and interdict future prohibited practices.
WHERE TO COMPLAIN:
The Consumer Protection Act aims to promote consumer activism, by making provision for the accreditation of consumer groups tasked with lodging complaints on behalf of consumers, as well as making available support for activities, such as consumer advice, education, publications, research and alternative dispute resolution through mediation or conciliation.
As such, the Act gives rise to the establishment of the National Consumer Commission, a body assigned to investigate consumer complaints , as well as the National Consumer Tribunal, the latter of which was created by the National Credit Act in September 2006, and is responsible for the adjudication of violations and transgressions of the National Credit Act and the Consumer Protection Act.
Consumer Help Line, via
- the dti Customer Contact Centre: 0861 843 384
- the dti Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) : (012) 394 1436 / 1558 /1076
- E-mail: contactus@thedti.gov.zaThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
- the dti Website: thedti.gov.za
- National Consumer Tribunal (NCT): (012) 663 5615
- NCT E-mail: Registry@thenct.org.zaThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
- NCT Website: thenct.org.za
Other Useful Contact Details in the Consumer Realm:
Government Bodies
| Consumer Commission
|
0861 843 384 |
| Public Protector
|
Tel: 012 366 7000
Fax: 012 262 3473 Toll free: 0800 112 040 |
| Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) | Tel: 012 394 9500
Call share: 0861 843 384 |
| Tribunal | Tel: 012 663 5615
Fax: 012 663 5693 |
Provincial Consumer Protection Offices
| Province | Telephone | Fax |
| Gauteng | 011 355 8006 | 011 355 8019 |
| Western Cape | 0800 007 081 | 021 483 5872 |
| Eastern Cape | 040 609 3050 | 040 609 3201 |
| Free State | 051 400 4852 | 051 400 9610 |
| Kwazulu Natal | 031 310 5300 | 031 310 5416 |
| Limpopo | 015 293 8300 | 015 291 1336 |
| North West | 018 387 7872 | 018 392 5660 |
| Northern Cape | 053 839 4000 | 053 831 3669 |
Consumer NGO’s
| South African National Consumer Union | Tel: 012 428 7122
Fax: 0866 728585 |
| National Consumer Forum | Tel: 012 428 7071
Fax: 012 428 7284/5019 |
| National Black Consumer Union | Tel: 011 982 2585 |
Industry Bodies
| Advertising
Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) |
Tel: 011 781 2006
Fax: 011 781 1616 |
| Auctions
SA Institute of Auctioneers |
Tel: 082 555 3458 |
| Banking
Ombudsman for Banking Services |
Tel: 011 838 0035
Share call: 0860 800 900 |
| Banking
Banking Association |
Tel: 011 645 6700
Fax: 011 645 6800 |
| Competition Commission | Tel: 012 394 3200 |
| Dental Ombudsman | Tel: 086 011 3334 |
| SA Dental Association | Tel: 011 484 5288 |
| Direct Marketing Association | Tel: 011 781 8019
Fax: 0866 260 758 |
| Direct Selling Association | Tel: 011 726 5300
Fax: 011 482 2000 |
| Electrical Contractors Association SA | Tel: 011 392 0000
Fax: 011 974 9402 |
| National Electricity Regulator | Tel: 012 401 4600
Fax: 012 401 4700 |
| Escom Call Centres
Central region: Braamfontein Eastern region: Westville Southern region: East London North Eastern region: Witbank North Western region: Bloemfontein Northern region Western region: Cape Town |
Tel: 0860 037 566 Tel: 0860 204 560 Tel: 0860 140 014 / 043 703 5270 Tel: 0860 001 414 / 013 693 5000 Tel: 0860 037 566 Tel: 0860 100 304 Tel: 021 915 3203 |
| Estate Agency Affairs Board | Tel: 011 731 5600
Fax: 011 880 9725 / 9831 |
| Franchise Association SA | Tel: 011 615 0359
Fax: 011 615 3679 |
| Furniture Traders Association | Tel: 011 789 6770
Fax: 086 656 8872 |
| Kitchen Specialists Association
Gauteng and Cape Town Kwazulu Natal |
Tel: 0860 109 290 Tel: 0865 505 6296 |
| National Home Builders Registration Council | Tel: 011 317 0010
Fax: 011 317 0141 |
| Housing Consumer Protection Trust | Tel: 011 333 8501
Fax: 011 333 1050 |
| Hospital Complaints
The Hospital Association SA |
Tel: 011 478 0156
Fax: 011 478 0410 |
| Council of Medical Schemes | Tel: 012 431 0500
Fax: 012 431 0608 |
| South African Medical Association | Tel: 012 481 2000
Fax: 012 481 2100 |
| South African Pharmacy Council | Tel: 012 319 8500
Fax: 012 321 1492 |
| South African Optometric Association | Tel: 011 805 4517
Fax: 011 805 3882 |
| Health Professional Council of SA | Tel: 012 338 9300
Fax: 012 328 5120 |
| Law Society of SA | Tel: 012 366 8800
Fax: 012 362 0969 |
| Motor Industry Ombudsman | Tel: 012 841 2945
Fax: 012 841 2842 |
| Retail Motor Industry Organisation | |
| Timeshare Institute of SA | Tel: 021 914 9693
Fax: 021 914 5202 |
| Retailers Association | Tel: 011 726 5300 |
| SA Bureau of Standards | Tel: 012 428 7911/6006
Fax: 012 344 1568 |
| SA Tourism | Tel: 011 895 3001
Cell: 083 123 6789 |
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