Complaints under the Consumer Protection Act

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
•the dti Website: www.thedti.gov.za
•National Consumer Tribunal (NCT): (012) 663 5615
 
 
Consumer complaints, Complaint procedures, Useful Consumer Contact Details:
1.   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. 
2.   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.za This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  • the dti Website: www.thedti.gov.za
  • National Consumer Tribunal (NCT): (012) 663 5615
  • NCT E-mail: Registry@thenct.org.za This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  • NCT Website: www.thenct.org.za 
  1. 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