• Welcome to CGSO South Africa

Before You Complain

Before you complain to us:

Please note we do not deal through lawyers, legal assistants or insurers. We deal with individual consumers as defined in the CPA, consumers who are juristic persons (companies/close corporations) that had an annual turnover/asset value of R2 million or less at the time when the complaint arose and with persons authorised by complainants to lodge complaints on their behalf BUT not with legal representatives that have been paid to assist consumers.
1.
Have you referred your complaint to the supplier’s customer care department?
 

Contact 0860 000 272 for help

3.
If the complaint is based on the same event and/or facts as any matter which is, was, or becomes, the subject of any proceedings in any court, tribunal or regulatory body or any other Ombud with jurisdiction, we will not be able to assist.

Contact 0860 000 272 for help

5.
Where the matter relates to an event, act or omission which occurred before 1 April 2011 or if three years has passed since the event, act or omission occurred, we will not be able to assist.
2.
Are you sure your complaint is what we can deal with and falls under our jurisdiction?
 

Other Ombuds

4.
If you have previously referred this matter to the CGSO, we will not be able to assist.


 

Other Ombuds

6.
If you do not have the correct email address for the supplier, we will not be able to assist.

WHAT We Can Deal With

The product has a defect within the first 6 months after you bought it.

The product you ordered was not delivered when agreed/ within a reasonable time

The product was delivered less than 10 business days ago and is not what you ordered / is different to what was advertised / it was delivered damaged

The product was sold past its sell by date and its quality or appearance was not as expected

A defect in the product caused you some damage/ harm

A defect in the product caused you some injury/ illness

Services include repairs, construction, painting, gardening, dressmaking, hair cutting, the provision of any education, information, advice or consultation, transportation of an individual or any goods; the provision of any accommodation or sustenance; any entertainment or access thereto and the right of access, to an event or to any premises, activity or facility.

(There may be a cancellation penalty)

The price was not displayed on the goods.

The price advertised/ displayed was incorrect .

The Label contains deceptive or misleading product descriptions, or claims that a product has certain features or benefits that it does not, or that it is of a higher quality than it actually is.

This includes the use of physical force against a consumer, coercion, undue influence, pressure, duress or harassment, unfair tactics etc. at any stage of the interaction or where a supplier takes advantage of a consumer’s inability to protect their own interests owing to physical or mental disability, illiteracy, ignorance, inability to understand the language of an agreement etc

OR

Unfairly discriminating on the grounds of the Constitution (race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth) or Chapter 2 of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act.