Thursday, 20 August 2026

Consumer Goods and Services Ombud and the National Consumer Commission said complaints rose about 25% to 30%, with 15,000 cases last year; 64% were resolved and about R13 million was recovered in refunds.

The ombud said rural access is being expanded through university satellite desks and MOUs in Limpopo, the Eastern Cape, North West and other provinces to help consumers log complaints closer to home.

Callers raised broken six-month warranties, undelivered or defective goods, and fruitless complaints to suppliers; listeners were told to escalate unresolved matters to the correct ombud or the tribunal, not give up.

Women in media and politics were described as facing cyberbullying, sexual harassment, death threats and coordinated intimidation, with a SANEF report citing 75% of women experiencing cyberbullying and 42% of female MPs reporting threats.

Panelists argued the problem is also internal: senior women often block younger women, while political and newsroom structures still sideline women from top roles unless they organise, mentor and fund one another.