This Week In The News

NEWS IN SHORT

• According to a recent Consumer Reports (CR) study Lexus and Toyota were again named as number one and two for reliability, respectively.
  
  
• VW confirms it will launch at least four budget-focused electric cars before the end of next year.
  
  
• Microsoft South Africa says it has committed R1.3 billion to developing critical skills in the digital economy in the country, which will help small and medium businesses train their workforces to adapt to modern technologies.
  
  
• Steering wheel locks are nothing new, but they’re no less effective today than they were a few decades ago. These devices have proven to be one of the best anti-theft systems on the market as they prevent your steering wheel from turning.

• The most fuel-efficient hatchback in South Africa : South Africans who want to reduce their fuel consumption as much as possible may want to consider picking up the Honda Fit e.HEV, which boasts a consumption as low as 3.7l/100km. This is possible thanks to hybrid technology that incorporates an electric motor alongside the 1.5-litre combustion engine to drastically reduce the amount of fuel the car burns, especially in low-speed situations like traffic jams.

• South Africans pay over 100% more for fuel now than they did four years ago. An analysis by BusinessTech revealed that the price for unleaded 93 petrol increased from R11.51 per litre in May 2020 to R25.15 in May 2024.
  The price of unleaded 95 petrol increased from R12.22 in May 2020 to R25.49 in May 2024, while diesel increased from R11.19 per litre to R22.24 over the same period.

• South Africa’s automotive industry imported over R15 billion more goods from Germany in 2023 than the year prior, an increase of 24%, solidifying the European economy’s status as the number one importer of vehicles and automotive components to the domestic market.

• South Africa has a big problem with illegal car imports, which is costing the local industry billions of rands every year.
  It is estimated that around 30,000 used vehicles are illegally brought into South Africa annually leading to a loss of revenue and diluting the market for legitimate dealerships.

• The South African Motor Body Repairers’ Association (SAMBRA) has joined the call upon the South African Insurance Association (SAIA) to publicize Code 2 vehicle salvage data on the VIN-Lookup website to protect consumers from buying deathtraps on wheels.

• The new Volvo EX30 recently launched in South Africa and while it enjoyed a highly positive reception, early owners have shared many grievances they have with the electric crossover. Apart from an abundance of software bugs that can sometimes render the central screen unusable – which can usually be sorted out with an over-the-air software update – domestic owners have complained about their cars being delivered with differing specs and features than what was advertised, cracks in the exterior panels, and an inability to support a tow hook. To see Volvo’s reply, go to https://topauto.co.za/features/106354/big-problems-with-the-new-volvo-ex30-in-south-africa-volvo-responds/?source=newsletter

 

TO REPAIR OR NOT TO REPAIR

There is a lot of confusion around section 56 of the CPA i.e. Repair, Refund or Replacement , where defects occurred within 6 months from the date of purchase of goods

The National Consumer Commission has noticed a trend by suppliers who believe that they have a right to choose remedies in terms of section 56 of the CPA i.e. Repair, Refund or Replacement of the damaged or unsafe goods, where the defect occurred within 6 months from the date of purchase of goods.

This defense is always couched in the following manner, “surely, we have a right to choose to repair the goods, the Consumer does not have a right to cancel”.

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE 7 OF 2023- The National Consumer Commission

Who has the right to decide between the Supplier and the Consumer?
3.1 Consumers have the right to elect remedies in terms of section 56 (2) of the CPA. The supplier may make an offer to repair the goods when the consumers has elected a refund.

However, the consumer is not bound by the supplier’s offer.
3.4 Section 56 (2) (b)gives the consumer a right to elect whether they intend to repair; replace or cancel the transaction and request for a refund. It is only where the defect does not qualify as a major defect to warrant a refund or replacement, where a supplier can persist on the repair and not refund or replacement.

Therefore it is also the supplier’s right to fully inspect the defect in order to make an informed decision.

 

Ayrton Senna 1:8 Scale McLaren Tribute Costs as Much as a Suzuki Jimny
Amalgam has unboxed a 1:8-scale model based on the recently-revealed, one-of-the-kind McLaren Senna that, with its special Senna Sempre livery, pays tribute to the legacy of the Formula 1 legend it is named for, Ayrton Senna.

Limited to only 30 examples — each priced at $21 385, which, at the current Rand-Dollar exchange rate translates to a whopping R399 000 — the 1:8-scale model recreates the one-off McLaren hyper car it takes inspiration from.

At the same price of this ultra-detailed scale model, buyers could sit themselves in a Suzuki Jimny 1.5 GL All Grip 3-door manual which comes in at R399 900.