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Cape Town – In compliance with the recently promulgated Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO) Code, the Vacation Ownership Association of Southern Africa (VOASA) has transferred its complaints handling function to the Ombud with immediate effect.
Since the CGSO code came into law in April 2015, all entities who supply "goods" and "services" to consumers as defined within the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), and whose activities are within the ambit of the CPA, fall under the jurisdiction of the CGSO, unless already regulated by a body either accredited or recognised under legislation.
John Lee, 2015 outgoing chair of VOASA, stated that as the timeshare industry recognises the jurisdiction of the CGSO, all consumers whose complaints fall within the ambit of the CGSO Code will be advised to contact the Ombud directly.
“VOASA has always taken the protection of consumer rights very seriously and to enforce our commitment to the CGSO Code, the association has adopted a new membership requirement that all VOASA members must provide proof of registration with the CGSO in order to continue to qualify for VOASA membership,” said Lee.
Advocate Neville Melville, Consumer Goods and Services Ombud, congratulated VOASA on its proactive approach and encouraged other industry associations to follow its lead in this regard. “We at CGSO look forward to assisting the vacation ownership industry in complying with the code.”
The Ombud enforces the Consumer Goods and Services Industry Code of Conduct by receiving and dealing with consumer complaints free of charge, and investigating alleged contraventions. It is compulsory for all eligible suppliers to register with and belong to this Ombud scheme and to contribute towards its running costs based on the budget approved by the CGSO Board.
