Consumer Protection – Botha Bezuidenhout Attorneys

When math is no longer “mathing”

Schalk Bezuidenhout — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 07:57:02 +0000

Introduction We encounter a recurring hurdle when consumers seek redress for defective vehicles: the Motor Industry Ombudsman of South Africa (MIOSA) “Usage Cost” calculation. In January 2025, we formally addressed a letter to MIOSA highlighting a critical mathematical flaw in their “Vehicle take-back calculation procedure”. A year later, this flawed methodology is still being recommended… Read More »

Second-hand Vehicles and the CPA

Schalk Bezuidenhout — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 05:18:57 +0000

Apart from buying a house, buying a vehicle is for most people the most expensive purchase. But what do you do if you made a bad purchase? Maybe the vehicle has problems, or it broke down soon after you purchased it. What can you do in such a situation? Most information out there only tells half the story, but in this article, we will step on a few toes and tell you the full story.

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Medical Expenses Mess (Part 2)

Schalk Bezuidenhout — Fri, 15 Jan 2021 18:55:56 +0000

In the previous article, we discussed the misleading and/or deceptive marketing of medical aid schemes. In this article, we will discuss the patient’s (consumer’s) rights in terms of the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (“CPA”) pertaining to medical expenses. Medical service providers (doctors, pathologists and other medical service providers like clinics, hospitals, etc.) provide… Read More »

Medical Expenses Mess (Part 1)

Schalk Bezuidenhout — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 13:57:48 +0000

Being a member of a medical aid in South Africa is as essential as having accident insurance for your vehicle. But choosing the best medical aid plan is like comparing dogs with cats. Both are pets, but they differ so much that comparing them will only leave you more confused. Medical aid schemes provide a service to consumers. “Service” is defined in the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008…

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Beware of these Investments

Schalk Bezuidenhout — Thu, 07 Jan 2021 19:51:49 +0000

Time and again people fall for investments “that sound too good to be true”. We don’t know whether it is greed, ignorance or the lack of financial education that leads to people falling for “false” investments. Recently, one of our Directors were approached by a promoter of one of these investment schemes that offer very… Read More »

How to open an Online Business… SUCCESSFULLY

Schalk Bezuidenhout — Mon, 28 Dec 2020 14:54:05 +0000

Introduction South Africa’s Online Retail Industry grew by 40% during the Covid-19 Lockdown. Each of these online businesses face rules and regulations, some of which the owners of these businesses are sometimes blissfully unaware of. Even larger online retailers struggle to follow the rules and regulations governing their businesses. Online businesses do not differ much… Read More »

Fixed-Term Consumer Exploitation?

Schalk Bezuidenhout — Fri, 25 Dec 2020 21:56:48 +0000

XBOX deal… or no deal With the launch of the new Xbox S and X, gaming consoles coveted by gaming enthusiasts, both young and old, Vox Telecommunications (Pty) Ltd is offering these consoles for rent. After reading this article on MyBroadband, we decided to take a look at the Terms and Conditions of these offers,… Read More »