Economic Development Annual Report

Annual Report 2023/2024 Mpumalanga: Department of Economic Development and Tourism - Vote 6

4.4 Programme 4: Business Regulation and Governance

Purpose of the Programme: To ensure an equitable, socially responsible business environment that allows fair trade and the protection of consumer rights. The Programme consists of the following Sub-Programmes: • Consumer Protection • Business Regulation The Programme contributes towards the following institutional outcome as per the Annual Performance Plan. • Inclusive, diversified and growing economy Outcomes, Outputs, Output Indicators, Targets and Actual Achievements Consumer Protection: The mandate of the Programme is to perform consumer protection functions is derived from the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Schedule 4, Part A of the Constitution prescribes that the area of consumer protection is a functional area of concurrent national and provincial legislative competence. This entails that at provincial level, provincial governments have the authority to legislate on the arena of consumer protection and also provide associated services within this arena. In this regard, we have in place the National Consumer Protection Act of 2008 and Mpumalanga Consumer Protection Act of 1988. Currently we have a draft bill that seeks to harmonise the two legislations to promote consistency in the application of consumer law to protect consumers. During the period under review, the Consumer Protection office resolved 99.6% of received cases within the stipulated resolution time frame of 90 days. An amount of R3 784 114.03 was recovered on behalf of consumers. The office received an increased number of consumer complaints ranging from second hand motor vehicles, installation of tombstone challenges, instalment agreement challenges, financial services and complaints on quality of goods and services in the informal sector. Moreover, two Consumer Courts are in the process of being established in the province and this initiative will contribute positively to the speedy resolution of consumer cases thus ensuring timeous redress on behalf of consumers. Consumer Education: The preceding financial years have seen the Consumer Protection Office undertake specific projects with identified audiences including youth, elderly persons, women, and persons with disabilities in the province. These programmes have been conducted through national and local radio stations, workshops, roadshows and exhibitions. A total of 531 awareness programs were conducted during the period under review. Market surveillance inspections were conducted in Gert Sibande, Nkangala and Ehlanzeni District Municipalities, and non compliant goods confiscated in collaboration with national regulators such as National Consumer Commission (NCC), National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) inspectors, SAPS, Motor Industry Ombud of South Africa (MIOSA) and Environmental Health Inspectors from respective Districts. Furthermore, recent and emerging technological changes, trading methods, patterns and agreements have brought, and will continue to bring, new benefits, opportunities and challenges to the market for consumer goods and services within the country. In response to the challenges highlighted above, the Department continues to ensure that consumer protection legislation provides the framework to promoting fair trade and strengthening consumer rights and responsibilities.

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