A consumer’s fundamental right to equality in terms of the Consumer Protection Act and the role of the promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act
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A consumer’s fundamental right to equality in terms of the Consumer Protection Act and the role of the promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act
The purpose of this contribution is to examine the provisions of Part A (sections
8 to 10) of the Consumer Protection Act1 that regulate the fundamental consumer
right to equality in the consumer market. It is the first time in the history of consumer
law in South Africa that the right to equality entrenched in section 9 of the
Bill of Rights in the Constitution is now also a specific fundamental consumer
right available to consumers in terms of the CPA. The provisions of Part A of the CPA is unique in the sense that the test for unfair discrimination in the consumer
market is based on one or more of the grounds of unfairness in terms of either
section 9 of the Constitution or Chapter 2 of the Promotion of Equality and
Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act.2 In addition, the equality court is given
exclusive jurisdiction over this Part of the CPA, a divergence from the routes of
redress available to consumers in terms of section 69 of the CPA or the civil
courts in the case of a contravention of Part G of the CPA (dealing with the
consumer’s right to fair, just and reasonable terms and conditions). Section 8
which lists various forms of unfair discrimination is analysed and discussed as
well as section 9 in terms of which certain differentiation by suppliers in the
supply of goods or services (and the marketing thereof) may be justified with
particular reference to minors and persons of at least 60 years of age. The presumption
of unfair discrimination in section 10 is also investigated. Pertinent
issues resulting from the analyses are discussed, including situations of price
discrimination, students and “elderly persons” (persons of at least 60 years of
age) as consumers, the role of the equality court as well as situations where not
only the consumer’s right to equality but also other fundamental consumer rights
may be infringed upon simultaneously. The contribution is summarised by way
of a conclusion and recommendations.
Die verbruiker se fundamentele reg op gelykheid ingevolge die Wet op Verbruikersbeskerming en die rol van die Wet op Bevordering van Gelykheid en die Voorkoming van Onbillike Diskriminasie. Die doel van hierdie bydrae is om die bepalings van Deel A van die Wet op Verbruikersbeskerming 68 van 2008 (WVB) te ondersoek. Deel A reguleer die verbruiker se fundamentele verbruikersreg van gelykheid in die verbruikersmark in Suid-Afrika. Die bepalings
(artikels 8–10) in Deel A is uniek in die sin dat die toets vir onbillike diskriminasie in die
verbruikersmark gebaseer is op een of meer van die gronde van onbillike diskriminasie
soos in óf artikel 9 van die Grondwet óf Hoofstuk 2 van die Wet op Bevordering van
Gelykheid en die Voorkoming van Onbillike Diskriminasie 4 van 2000 (Wet op Gelykheid)
vervat. Daarbenewens word eksklusiewe jurisdiksie aan die gelykheidshof toegeken
oor hierdie deel van die WVB, ’n afwyking van die roetes van regstelling wat normaalweg
vir verbruikers ingevolge die WVB beskikbaar is. Artikel 8 wat ’n lys van verskeie
vorme van onregverdige diskriminasie verskaf, word ontleed en bespreek asook artikel 9
ingevolge waarvan sekere differensiasie deur verskaffers in die verskaffing van goedere
of dienste geregverdig kan word. Artikel 10 bied ’n vermoede van onregverdige diskriminasie
asook ’n bepaalde bewyslas wat krities ondersoek word.