Good news for car owners in South Africa

Significant steps are being made toward solidifying the right to repair in South Africa.

Right to Repair South Africa and The Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA) has joined other global association leaders to support the critical global right-to-repair movement by signing the new right-to-repair position statement. The statement enumerates the core beliefs of the movement and the objectives and intended outcomes of right-to-repair legislation.

Importantly, the document sets forth 10 best practice principles for developing a framework for right-to-repair legislation that any supporting country can use and adapt to their needs.

Right to repair refers to a movement that advocates for the right of consumers to repair and modify their own vehicles, among other things, without being restricted by manufacturers.

It aims to provide consumers with more control over their possessions, as car manufacturers tend to block access to maintenance and repair data.

The CEO of Right to Repair South Africa, Kate Elliot, said that in South Africa, the aftermarket service industry employs 297,826 workers and contributes approximately 2.8% to the GDP.

“The automotive industry is the third largest sector in the national economy. While a large portion of this can be attributed to the manufacture and retail of new motor vehicles, the repair and service sector cannot be discounted,” said Elliot.

“There are about 12.7 million vehicles on the road in South Africa, and all of these will need to be serviced and repaired during their lifetimes,” added the CEO.

“After vehicles exit their warranty period, independent repair shops perform 70% of repairs. This vibrant industry and the consumer choice that it creates is being threatened by automotive manufacturers that block access to wirelessly transmitted vehicle repair and maintenance data,” she said.

She said that consumers can then be left without a convenient choice over independent parts and repairs, especially in suburban and rural communities.

Motorists are also limited to accessing affordable vehicle services – making it more likely that people would drive an older car needing repairs to save some money.

Elliot said that South Africa stands out as a country determined to ensure the motor vehicle owners’ right to choose is protected through consistent campaigning with relevant aftermarket stakeholders and collaboration with the Competition Commission.

The new guidelines have opened up the market for the government to support and drive growth and have made the automotive aftermarket a fairer place to do business, said Elliott.

Motorists’ rights are being strengthened in South Africa. On 8 February, consumer rights were reaffirmed in relation to purchasing vehicles from a dealer that were previously written off.

The courts now uphold the precedent that a consumer has the right to be informed of the true condition of a vehicle when planning to buy it – the dealer is then put in a position to refund the consumer the total outstanding financed value of the car plus interest.

This outcome occurs even if the selling dealer was unaware of the fact that the car sold was previously ‘written off’.

In October last year, Elliot noted that the ever-increasing cost of living is taking its toll on road safety as more consumers opt for older cars.

She said that cash-strapped consumers are frequently bringing in outdated vehicles for maintenance. The right to repair may improve road safety by making repairs more affordable.