Scammy services, faulty goods & car buying traps
From illegal card fees and dodgy Google service listings to car recalls and voetstoets risks, this guide helps you shop smarter, stay safer, and claim the rights you didn’t know you had.
1. Illegal card surcharges: Know your rights
Debbie wrote: “I live in Greenwood Park and would like to know if shop owners have the right to charge additional fees when you pay by card.”
No, they don’t. They are violating both the Consumer Protection Act and their merchant agreements with their bank.
The Act prohibits retailers from adding fees to the displayed price of goods if their customers choose to pay with their debit or credit cards. Their merchant’s agreement with their bank also forbids them to pass on their bank charges to their customers.
They risk incurring penalties or having their agreements terminated by the bank if they do so. If you’re charged extra for card payment, report the merchant to the card division of the bank that issued their POS machine.
2. Latest automotive recalls include Chevrolet and Honda Goldwing models
The National Consumer Commission has shared news of recalls announced by Stellantis SA and Honda Motor Southern Africa.
Chevrolet Cruze, Aveo, and Orlando models manufactured between 2010 and 2018 are being recalled due to a defective driver’s airbag propellant. Over time, it may deploy too fast in a crash, risking safety.
Visit your nearest authorised dealership for repair or replacement.
Meanwhile, Honda Motor Southern Africa has recalled several Goldwing motorcycle models made between 2018 and 2021. A broken drive gear bolt could stop the engine or lock the rear wheel. Affected owners have been urged to head to a Honda dealership for a stronger bolt replacement.
3. Can a retailer repeatedly repair a defective product? No, not in the first six months
Ms P bought an adult e-scooter from a major retailer on Friday, December 13.
It proved to be an unlucky purchase for her, having malfunctioned four times and been unsuccessfully repaired each time.
What she didn’t know - and the retailer really should have known - is this: the Consumer Protection Act allows the consumer to choose the remedy if something breaks within six months of purchase. If it is repaired and it breaks again, it cannot be repaired a second time, let alone a third or fourth!
After the first unsuccessful repair, the customer must be asked to choose between a replacement or a refund.
Ms. P. wants the latter, and I’ve told the retailer she’s legally entitled to it.
4. Looking for a service provider to come to your home? Google is not your friend
Searching for DSTV installers, locksmiths, or plumbers on Google can cost you! Pensioner Mike paid R8,700 for a DSTV setup to an installer who claimed to be DSTV accredited but wasn’t. Multichoice’s quality assurance techies later inspected the job and found that he’d been overcharged by more than R5,000!
The advice: always get a quote upfront, as required by the Consumer Protection Act. And find an accredited DSTV installer in your area on DSTV’s website - dstv.com.
With locksmiths, check that a locksmith is registered with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority and that they have physical premises.
Skip Google, ask friends or local groups for trusted contacts and save them for when you need them.
5. You don’t have to buy cars “blind”
If you buy a car from a dealership, big or small, you have the benefit of the Consumer Protection Act’s warranty if it malfunctions in some way within six months of purchase.
But that’s not the case if you buy privately, or on an auction - those are essentially voetstoets deals - no comebacks, i.e. very risky.
That’s unless you get an expert to check out the car before you make a bid.
View4You inspectors, for example, are permitted to inspect at every auction house in South Africa. Runners or non-runners, you’ll be in a position to make an informed choice.
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