CONSUMER GOODS AND SERVICES OMBUD
The Office of the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO) is the consumer goods and services industry’s compulsory Ombud scheme, set up in line with the Consumer Protection Act.
The CGSO enforces the Consumer Goods and Services Industry Code of Conduct by receiving and dealing with consumer goods complaints by a consumer free of charge.
Consumers
Participants
Our Mission
- Raising the standards of good conduct and increasing the level of certainty for all participants;
- Offering guidance to participants in the Industry as to the implementation of and the compliance with the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) and what constitutes fair business practices to be followed when operating within the Industry;
- Educating consumers as to their rights and redress available to them should a participant breach the CPA or the Code; and
- Providing for a scheme of alternative dispute resolution as described in section 82 (6) of the CPA.
Our Vision
Our Values
- Respect and Empathy: We treat our customers (both consumers and service providers) with respect and understanding.
- Fairness and Impartiality: We deal with complaints referred to us fairly and impartially and we treat both the participants and complainant with fairness throughout the complaint’s resolution process. We also make impartial and fair commendations based on relevant evidence and the law.
- Integrity and Honesty: We conduct ourselves with integrity and honesty.
- Accessible and Responsive: We are accessible to complainants, participants and stakeholders through quality and timely responses.
- Universality: We are ready to deal appropriately (resolve/refer) with every complaint regardless of whether it is within our jurisdiction or not.
How we can help you with a complaint
The CGSO is obligated to enforce the Consumer Goods and Services Industry Code of Conduct by:
- Receiving and dealing with complaints and disputes by a consumer relating to its Code of conduct or the Consumer Protection Act free of charge
- Attempting to facilitate a settlement between the parties.
- Addressing each complaint in an unbiased manner.
- Making recommendations as to how the dispute should be settled.
0+
Registered Participants
0+
Complaints Received
0+
Complaints Resolved
More on CGSO
Latest News & Notices
-
CGSO Launch of 2022-23 Annual Report media releaseJanuary 18, 2023
-
SA COVID 19 UpdatesFebruary 22, 2021
-
Fees are now reduced, please update your information here.February 19, 2021
Have Question ? Get in touch!
CGSO Privacy Statement
Our commitment to you is that we respect the privacy of our clients and every visitor to our Website and Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (“CGSO”) Platforms.
Your Personal Information is protected by the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (Act No. 4 of 2013 “POPIA Act”); to know more about your right to privacy of your personal information, please contact the office of the Information Regulator.
We would like you to understand our approach towards the use of your Personal Information as well as to inform you regarding the manner in which we would use this data; consequently, we request that you read our Privacy Statement.
The Privacy Statement forms part of our Privacy Policy and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of South Africa. By sharing your Personal Information with us through our Website and/or CGSO Platforms, email and/or telephonically, you are deemed to have given us consent and permission where necessary and appropriate for the purposes set out in the Privacy Statement; that we may collect, use, and transfer your Personal Information for the purposes set out therein.
If you do not agree with these terms, please do not provide any Personal Information through our Website, CGSO Platforms, email and/or telephonically however, on the understanding that we will not be able to interact with you as you have not provided the necessary consent to lawfully process your Personal Information.