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General Provisions
120. Regulations
The Minister may make any regulations expressly authorised or contemplated elsewhere in this Act;
Before making any such regulations, the Minister—
- must publish the proposed regulations for public comment;
- may consult with accredited consumer protection groups; and
- must consult the Commission and provincial regulatory authorities.
A regulation in terms of this Act must be made by notice in the Gazette.
121. Consequential amendments, repeal of laws and transitional arrangements
The following Acts are repealed by the Act:
- Sections 2 to 13 and sections 16 to 17 of the Merchandise Marks Act, 1941 (Act No. 17 of 1941);
- Business Names Act, 1960 (Act No. 27 of 1960);
- Price Control Act, 1964 (Act No. 25 of 1964);
- Sale and Service Matters Act, 1964 (Act No. 25 of 1964);
- Trade Practices Act, 1976 ( Act No. 76 of 1976); and
- Consumer Affairs (Unfair Business Practices) Act, 1988 (Act No. 71 of 1988).
The repeal of the laws specified in this section does not affect the transitional arrangements, which are set out in Schedule 2.
What is the position regarding existing contracts therefore?
According to section 2(2) of Schedule 2 and section 121 most provisions of the Act are already in effect as of 25 October 2010. Section 3(4) of Schedule 2 exempt the much debated section 61, and applies to any goods that were first supplied to a consumer on or after 25 April 2010. The Minister may however, delay such provision from coming into effect for a period of not more than six additional months. Regarding existing contracts the Act won’t apply to the following if the transaction occurred before the effective date:
- The marketing of any goods or services;
- Any transaction or agreement;
- Any goods supplied, or services provided to a consumer.
If any pre-existing agreement between a supplier and a consumer exists until 25 October 2012, and it would have fallen within the Act, had the Act been in effect at the time the agreement was made, the following sections apply to it:
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Section 14: Expiry and renewal of fixed term agreements
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Only subsections (1)(b) to (d) and (2) apply with respect to the expiry and possible renewal of the agreement, on or after 25 October 2010
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Sections 18 to 21: Rights to choice, delivery of / return of goods and unsolicited goods or services
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Apply only to goods that are deliverable or delivered to the consumer in terms of the agreement, on or after 25 October 2010
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Section 22: Plain language
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Applies only to a notice, document or visual representation that is required to be produced, provided or displayed to the consumer, on or after 25 October 2010
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Section 25: Grey market goods
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Applies only to any goods supplied to the consumer in terms of the agreement, on or after 25 October 2010
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Section 26: Sales records
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Applies only to any transactions occurring in terms of the agreement, on or after 25 October 2010
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Section 31: Negative option marketing
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Applies only to any purported amendment to the agreement made, on or after 25 October 2010
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Section 44: Right to assume the supplier is entitled to sell the goods
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Applies only to any goods supplied to the consumer in terms of the agreement, on or after 25 October 2010
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Sections 53 to 58: Rights to demand quality service and safe good quality goods
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Apply only to any goods or services supplied to the consumer in terms of the agreement, on or after 25 October 2010
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Sections 64(1) and (2): Prepaid services
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Apply only to an amount paid or payable by the consumer in terms of the agreement, on or after 25 October 2010
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Sections 64(3) and (4): Prepaid services
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Apply only to any closure of a facility contemplated, if it will occur on or after 25 October 2010
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Section 65: Supplier to hold and account for consumer’s property
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Applies only to an amount paid or payable by the consumer, or to property that comes into the possession of the supplier, on or after 25 October 2010
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Section 35 applies to any pre-existing loyalty programme only with respect to any:
- Offer or document relating to that programme that is made or published on or after 25 October 2010;
- Tender by a consumer, on or after 25 October 2010, of any loyalty credit award in that programme as payment for any supply of goods or services;
- Supply of goods or services if the consumer tendered any loyalty credit or award in payment for those goods or services on or after 25 October 2010.
The creation in terms of section 11(4)(b) of a register for pre-emptive blocking, and the need to register ‘trading as’ business names (Sections 79, 80 and 81) will only come into effect on the date to be announced by the Minister.
Useful Contact Details:
Government Bodies
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Consumer Commission
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0861 843 384
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Public Protector
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Tel: 012 366 7000
Fax: 012 262 3473
Toll free: 0800 112 040
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Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
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Tel: 012 394 9500
Call share: 0861 843 384
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Tribunal
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Tel: 012 663 5615
Fax: 012 663 5693
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Provincial Consumer Protection Offices
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Province
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Telephone
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Fax
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Gauteng
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011 355 8006
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011 355 8019
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Western Cape
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0800 007 081
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021 483 5872
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Eastern Cape
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040 609 3050
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040 609 3201
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Free State
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051 400 4852
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051 400 9610
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Kwazulu Natal
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031 310 5300
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031 310 5416
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Limpopo
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015 293 8300
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015 291 1336
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North West
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018 387 7872
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018 392 5660
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Northern Cape
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053 839 4000
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053 831 3669
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Consumer NGO’s
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South African National Consumer Union
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Tel: 012 428 7122
Fax: 0866 728585
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National Consumer Forum
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Tel: 012 428 7071
Fax: 012 428 7284/5019
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National Black Consumer Union
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Tel: 011 982 2585
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Industry Bodies
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Advertising
Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)
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Tel: 011 781 2006
Fax: 011 781 1616
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Auctions
SA Institute of Auctioneers
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Tel: 082 555 3458
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Banking
Ombudsman for Banking Services
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Tel: 011 838 0035
Share call: 0860 800 900
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Banking
Banking Association
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Tel: 011 645 6700
Fax: 011 645 6800
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Competition Commission
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Tel: 012 394 3200
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Dental Ombudsman
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Tel: 086 011 3334
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SA Dental Association
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Tel: 011 484 5288
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Direct Marketing Association
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Tel: 011 781 8019
Fax: 0866 260 758
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Direct Selling Association
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Tel: 011 726 5300
Fax: 011 482 2000
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Electrical Contractors Association SA
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Tel: 011 392 0000
Fax: 011 974 9402
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National Electricity Regulator
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Tel: 012 401 4600
Fax: 012 401 4700
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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
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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
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Estate Agency Affairs Board
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Tel: 011 731 5600
Fax: 011 880 9725 / 9831
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Franchise Association SA
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Tel: 011 615 0359
Fax: 011 615 3679
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Furniture Traders Association
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Tel: 011 789 6770
Fax: 086 656 8872
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Kitchen Specialists Association
Gauteng and Cape Town
Kwazulu Natal
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Tel: 0860 109 290
Tel: 0865 505 6296
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National Home Builders Registration Council
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Tel: 011 317 0010
Fax: 011 317 0141
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Housing Consumer Protection Trust
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Tel: 011 333 8501
Fax: 011 333 1050
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Hospital Complaints
The Hospital Association SA
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Tel: 011 478 0156
Fax: 011 478 0410
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Council of Medical Schemes
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Tel: 012 431 0500
Fax: 012 431 0608
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South African Medical Association
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Tel: 012 481 2000
Fax: 012 481 2100
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South African Pharmacy Council
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Tel: 012 319 8500
Fax: 012 321 1492
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South African Optometric Association
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Tel: 011 805 4517
Fax: 011 805 3882
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Health Professional Council of SA
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Tel: 012 338 9300
Fax: 012 328 5120
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Law Society of SA
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Tel: 012 366 8800
Fax: 012 362 0969
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Motor Industry Ombudsman
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Tel: 012 841 2945
Fax: 012 841 2842
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Retail Motor Industry Organisation
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Tel: 011 789 2542
Fax: 011 789 4525
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Timeshare Institute of SA
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Tel: 021 914 9693
Fax: 021 914 5202
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Retailers Association
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Tel: 011 726 5300
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SA Bureau of Standards
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Tel: 012 428 7911/6006
Fax: 012 344 1568
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SA Tourism
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Tel: 011 895 3001
Cell: 083 123 6789
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Appendix
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