New association vows to shape motor industry

Isaac Pinielo | Thursday November 17, 2016 15:40

He said the association is working to bring together motor dealers and address the issues that are raised.

“We are currently in the process of coming up with regulations that will serve as guidelines for the motor industry,” Niyaz said.

He said they formed the association to make sure that they improve their service delivery across all motor dealers. Some of the unfair business practices that the association was concerned about encompass deceptive, misrepresentation, and oppressive or unconscionable acts or practices by business, often against consumers. Last week, the Department of Trade and Consumer Affairs said it was inundated with consumer complaints from the motor industry that provide repair services and sell used vehicles.

Commercial officer, Ikanyeng Kgori indicated that a dealer can be charged for unfair business practices when they sell a commodity that is not of merchantable quality. A product is considered to be not of merchantable quality if it is not fit to be sold.

Also, dealerships are prohibited from making representation that the commodity is new when in fact it has deteriorated, or it has been altered, reconditioned, used or is a second hand. Other examples of unfair business practices are when the dealerships do not supply according to description, or when they make representation that the commodity or service is of a particular standard, quality, grade, style or model when they are not. “Service not rendered with reasonable care and skill as well as representing that a part, replacement or repair is needed  when it is not all constitute unfair business practices,” Kgori said.

She noted that there were also reports of dealers misleading or giving wrong information to the consumers, or taking advantage of the consumers’ inability, disability or illiteracy to understand the language of an agreement to a transaction. She appealed to dealers to cooperate with the consumer protection office by responding to enquiries from the office and honouring a summons.