For the first time ever in South African legal history the status of a “private” document is being elevated and given the status of law. The Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA) makes this possible by providing for “Industry Codes of Conduct” to regulate the application of the Act within a specific industry once so published as an Industry Code of Conduct. After a number of drafts, the legislature finally published the South African Automotive Code of Conduct (the Code) in the government gazette. The Code will have the same legal effect as the CPA itself or its accompanying Regulations.
The main objective of this Code is to give effect to the Consumer Protection Act, regulate the relationships between the role players conducting business within the Automotive Industry and, most importantly, to provide for a scheme of alternative dispute resolution between consumers and industry role players. The Automotive Industry will include importers, distributors, manufacturers, retailers, franchisors, franchisees; suppliers, and intermediaries who import, distribute, produce, retail or supply any of the goods listed in the Code. These goods include, for example, passenger -, recreational -, agricultural -, industrial -, or commercial vehicles. It furthermore includes trucks, motor cycles, quad cycles, and many more.
In broad terms, the Code will bring significant changes to the manner in which the Automotive Industry handled consumer complaints in the past. The Motor Industry Ombudsman of South Africa (MIOSA) has been established to assist in resolving disputes that arise in terms of the CPA when it comes to any goods or services provided by a role player within the Automotive Industry. MIOSA is an independent non-statutory body that has been afforded recognition under section 82 (6) of the CPA, meaning that MIOSA is an “accredited industry ombud” for the Automotive Industry. The objective is for MIOSA to consider and dispose of complaints in a manner that is procedurally fair, informal, and economical.
Once a complaint has been successfully lodged with MIOSA, MIOSA would first play a passive role mediating between the two parties in an attempt to facilitate resolution of the dispute.
Cutting to the chase, all suppliers will be obliged to establish internal complaints handling processes (including an internal complaints handling department, as well as the procedure a consumer could follow when lodging a complaint with the Ombud) coupled with the training of, or at the very least informing, their entire staff about the Act, its Regulations and the Code. Suppliers will also have to adhere to other requirements such as notices that need to be displayed at their premises.
For more information on how this industry code may affect you in your business operations, you can contact Jandré Robbertze at jandre@dommisseattorneys.co.za.
