Truth and power

This week’s ruling by the National Consumer Tribunal against a major national furniture chain is significant, because a decision by the Tribunal has the same status as a ruling by the High Court of South Africa. The Tribunal ruled that the company was in breach of the National Credit Act,

According to Stats SA, the May to July 2016 sales in household furniture, appliances and equipment was worth R8.7 billion.

And according to economic indicators aggregator tradingeconomics.com, in South Africa, household debt compared to income currently averages at 78%.

That is huge. With the decline of manufacturing and mining in South Africa, our economy is increasingly consumer driven and retail is a major part according to Stats SA who at the last census in 2011 calculated that household furniture, appliances and equipment made up 6% of total retail sales in South Africa.

(Food, beverages and tobacco made up 9%; textiles, clothing, footwear and leather goods 21% and general dealers 38%.)

The Tribunal has a list of judgments under the Consumer Protection Act going back to its establishment in 2005.

You would think businesses would get the message: don’t trick or mislead your customers, and especially don’t do them down.

That’s pretty much the message managers and councillors in the Infrastructural Development Portfolio Committee meeting received yesterday from its chair Mabhuti Matyumza.

The embattled department had in past years had a poor reputation, and they were determined to turn that around, Matyumza said.

A properly managed complaints register, a change in attitude – not only from staff but also from councillors – was part of the plan.

Councillors were told they must see for themselves problems and progress on the ground, so they can properly monitor their areas of responsibility and report back to their constituencies and Council.

Deputy Minister of South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Co-operation Llewellyn Landers spoke in Grahamstown this week.

His topic was how South Africa must use its international links to promote democracy and development across the globe.

How can we export something that we haven’t really got working at the most important level – on the ground in our municipalities? Grocott’s Mail asked him.

“The model is fine,” he said. “It’s for those residents, citizens to raise their voices and say, ‘Look, we have issues to discuss here and so we want you to appear before us.’

“I can guarantee you that if the councillor refuses, that will go back not just to Bhisho or Port Elizabeth – it’s going to go back to Luthuli House, and he or she will be in serious trouble – especially in the current climate.”

He said it: it’s up to you to hold this senior representative of government to his word.