Of course the legislation is not worth the paper it’s written on, if we as consumers don’t know what our rights are. On the other hand, no-one really wants to read a hundred-and-something page Act to find out all the details.

With this in mind, and as part of the Don’t Complain Campaign, we’ve put together a series of short snippets that will help you to get to grips with the nitty-gritty details of the new Consumer Protection Act and understand how they affect your life. Here’s part one:

Did you know?

1. The first question that most people ask is “Why has the Consumer Protection Act been introduced?” The succinct answer is to promote and advance the economic and social welfare of consumers and to ensure that they are better protected and empowered to realise their rights. To find out more, read our “Policy Objectives of the Consumer Protection Bill” post.

2. A franchisee may cancel a franchise agreement without cost or penalty within 10 business days after signing such agreement, by giving written notice to the franchisor.

3. How does the Consumer Protection Act relate to direct marketing? Great news – the two go hand-in-hand. The Act states that you have the right to refuse to accept direct marketing and that you can require it to be discontinued. The Act also gives the Consumer Commission the go ahead to establish a registry where consumes can register a pre-emptive block against any communication that is primarily for the purpose of direct marketing. The DTI Minister may prescribe specific days, dates, public holidays or times of days when suppliers must not engage in any direct marketing aimed at a consumer at home for any promotional purpose.

Any questions or comments? Give us a shout.

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I am still not 100% convinced that I LOVE the new brand, but it’s clean, simple and definitely stands out enough to catch an eye.

What do you think?
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We all complain about the Eskom price hikes: while facing mass retrenchments and skyrocketing food prices we are also faced with the exorbitant price of electricity and the future threat of 30-40% price hikes. But what are we, as individuals, really doing about the cost of energy and I’m not just talking about the financial cost. America and Europe are already educating citizens about reducing their carbon footprints and introducing incentives and laws to encourage the use of alternative energy. Perhaps it’s time we stopped complaining and started looking to alternative energy sources for our homes, such as solar panels and LED lights.

Here are some ways that you, as a South African, can do your bit to reduce your carbon footprint at home and save on that rapidly escalating electricity bill by tapping into alternative energy supplies:

What many South Africans forget is how lucky we are to spend so many days in the bright sunlight. The sun is one of our greatest alternative energy resources and one of its greatest advantages is that it’s not going anywhere at least for the next five billion years.
The initial installation cost of solar panels can be in the tens of thousands but the return on your investment starts almost immediately and you become immune to inconvenient power cuts and Eskom price increases. You can run your home fully from solar energy but, because the set-up required can easily run into the hundreds of thousands of Rands, you can start small and add sustainable products to your home as the money comes in. Solar water heaters, for example, cost little more than a regular geyser unit. And if you don’t want to overhaul your entire geyser system, invest in a geyser blanket or geyser timer to limit unnecessary heat loss and energy wastage. Geyer blankets and timers range from R200 to R500.

Zeke Murphy, owner of Sustainable.co.za, a Cape Town-based alternative energy company, says that it is possible for every average household to get involved in energy saving with alternative energy. “Realistically, the average household should be able to start considering alternative power for their lighting systems and running one or two low wattage appliances off a renewable energy system. These systems, if considered in the building of new homes, can be integrated without hugely impacting on the overall building cost”, he said.

If you’re considering making a positive change at home for the good of your country, your planet and your pocket, why not start now even if the finances aren’t readily available? Write down a list of what electrical appliances in your home are pushing up your energy bill the most. Usually the most energy heavy items include air conditioners, tumble dryers, geysers and ovens. Then look around for local alternative energy solutions that can do the job at a fraction of the price, like solar cookers and solar powered air conditioners.

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1. Things do go wrong from time to time. The good news is that if you fix the problem quickly and effectively, you will win a customer for life.
2. It costs way more to get a new customer than it does to retain an existing customer – in some sectors it costs up to five times more. So it makes sense to keep the customers you have happy.
3. Research shows that for every cent a company spends on improved customer service, they see a return on investment of 34% to a massive 400%.
4. Most people, 60 – 75 %, will do business with a company again if it deals with a customer service issue fairly – even if the result is not in their favour.
5. If you resolve a complaint quickly and with little fuss on the part of the customer, studies show that nine out of 10 customers will buy your product or use your service again.
6. Typically we tell more people about bad service than good service. And thanks to the impact of the Internet, the number of people that can be reached about poor service has just sky rocketed. United Airlines found this out when 5.8 million people watched the clip “United Breaks Guitars” on YouTube.
7. It’s the law! The Consumer Protection Act will come into effect in South Africa in October 2010. This law makes South African consumers some of the most protected in the world, and also gives customers the right to be heard and receive compensation if they have been unfairly treated. This specifies that businesses need to offer accessible complaints and compensation methods.
8. 90% of customers don’t complain directly to the company. They simply take their business elsewhere and tell all their friends.
9. Up to 75% of people who lodge a complaint on getclosure say they tried to approach the company and weren’t happy with how their complaint was dealt with, or that they simply did not get a response.
10. Also thanks to the Internet, it is so much easier to get comparative ratings of companies before you decide where you want to spend your money. If you haven’t been dealing with complaints effectively, your rankings are going to reflect this.

Can you think of other good reasons to encourage complaints? Jot them down below.

You can find out more about customer service by checking out our Don’t Complain Campaign.Similar Posts:

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Family members of mine do some of the most awe-inspiring and respectable work that I know of in South Africa.

A quick note about Footprints:

P.L.A.Y. (Participating in the Lives of Africa’s Youth)

In 2005, the Zafiropoulos family made the decision to open their home & Footprints was born.
Footprints is a registered section 21 company, Governed by two directors & six associate members. All assist on a voluntary basis.

PASSION is at the heart of all we do…

Footprints was birthed from the passion of Terry & Yolanda Zafiropoulos to take care of orphaned & abandoned children.

We have worked withthe following organisations since 1997:

* Departmentof Social Welfare
* Fosterparenting
* Counselling
* Place ofsafety, SAP Child Protection Unit
* AlcoholicsAnonymous
* NarcoticsAnonymous
* Family andMarriage Counselling of South Africa – FAMSA
* Child inCrisis Foundation
* UnitedChristians Against Narcotics – UCAN
* Various SAschools and children’s homes

Footprints (www.footprintsplay.co.za) are hosting a show on the 12th Nov 2009 at the Barnyard in Cresta and we look so forward to seeing you all there for a fabulous evening of fun..

The show is `Rocking all over the world`

The Barnyard Theatre will have audiences rocking from New York to Johannesburg, Sydney to London and Paris to Vancouver. Rocking All Over The World features hits from a dozen different destinations, whisking audiences across the globe for the hottest musical journey this summer.

Guided by (air) hostess Bronwyn Evans, audiences will need to hold on to their seats as the whirlwind tour begins in Canada as their musical icons such as Celine Dion and Bryan Adams are paid tribute to with hits such as Power of Love and Heaven.

The flight then heads across the Atlantic to Europe where stops are made in Ireland, France, Spain, Sweden and England. Think U2, Edith Piaf, the Gipsy Kings, ABBA, George Michael, Amy Winehouse and Queen, amongst others. The party really gets going before interval with hits such as Pride, Volare, Faith and We Will Rock You.

The second half kicks off Down Under with the likes of AC/DC’s Thunderstruck and Men at Work’s Who Can It Be Now. Audiences then wing their way across the Pacific to South America with the sultry sounds of Carlos Santana and Shakira with Smooth and Objection (Tango). The next destination is the home of reggae, Jamaica, where tribute is paid to the legendary Bob Marley.

Then it’s off to the US of A where you get a taste of country music, washed down with a bit of Neil Diamond and finished off with the pop icons Madonna, Michael Jackson and Tina Turner. A fleeting transit is made in Greece where audiences are entertained with Zorba the Greek, before the round-the-world trip comes to an end. Touch down on home soil for the big finale with Johnny Clegg’s Impi and Mango Groove’s Special Star.

Rocking All Over The World is a party for everyone and will have you rocking from the first number to the final anthem. So get out your dancing shoes and come rocking all over the world!

They need to sell 450 tickets in order for our evening to be a success.

I would like to appeal to you and your companies to support this worthy cause by buying tickets to the shows, sponsoring prizes for the raffle or donating items big and small for an auction we are planning.

Tickets:

Tables of 8 = R1200
Tables of 10 = R1500
Tables of 12 = R1800

All single tickets are R150.00 each

For tickets please contact Lisa on 0828712735 or Yolanda on 0828291680

There is a cash bar available.

You may bring in your own platters or Picinic baskets, there are also a number of Restaurants which will deliver food to you.
There is a pizzeria on site for lovely hot pizza’s.

Please transfer the money by EFT to Footprints Bank account and fax or mail the proof of payment to bestcater@icon.co.za. They will then send you your tickets for the show.
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So my request is simple. If you want to assist me in building the South Africa Rocks Google Map then leave a comment below and I’ll drop you a collaboration invite and you can tell the world about your favourite spots in SA!

Some thoughts about what to tag:

Restaurants
Live music venues
Shopping centres
Running routes
Parks
Kid-friendly spots
Hotels
Lodges
Bnb’s
Backpackers
Resorts
Golfing venues
Hiking areas
Swimming areas
Beaches

I’m also calling out some good folk to help out and list 10 of their favourite locations!

Mike
Wezzo
From-The-Couch
Vincent
Khaya
CherryFlava
2OceansVibe
Chris
JustBcoz
Cath

Your invites are in the mail!
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Now that is alot of swearing in Afrikaans, but these are the words that first opened my eyes to the incredibly cultish Afrikaans rock band, Fokofpolisiekar.

Watching the trailer above makes we want to fly to this bands next gig and throw my panties at them (I’d start wearing panties just so I could throw them!).Similar Posts:

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The trailer gave me goosebumps, I think less about the actual movie and more about the events that unfolded and the fact that they had actually been turned in to a movie. Here it is:

So I did some web research (the only sort there is) and discovered the following about “Invictus”:

“Invictus” is a short poem by the British poet William Ernest Henley. The title is Latin for “unconquered”.[1] It was first published in 1875. – sourceSimilar Posts:

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Jo’burg Child Welfare is celebrating 100 years of caring for abused, abandoned and neglected children. To mark this milestone join them on Sunday December 6 2009 at The Melrose Arch Piazza in Johannesburg for a day of family fun.

There will be kiddies entertainment as well as an extreme zone. Come and enjoy the Mediterranean market, try your luck in the silent auction and enjoy a sunset concert featuring local artists.

Jo’burg Child Welfare (JCW) has been at the forefront of providing direct services to children, families and communities in distress since 1909. Last financial year, they reached over 45,000 underprivileged children, families and communities through a team of dedicated and highly qualified professionals who extended vital care and support to those in need.

For more info please contact us at communications@jhbchildwelfare.org.zaSimilar Posts:

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Competition rules are below:

Afrigator / Parlotones Hands on Wine dinner competition rules

These rules (“these rules”) govern entries into the Afrigator / Parlotones Hands on Wine dinner competition (“this competition”). If you enter the competition you agree to be bound by these rules. Should you elect not to be bound by these rules, your entry will not be considered as a valid entry into the competition.

This competition is being run by Afrigator Internet (Pty) Ltd in conjunction with Hands on Wine (Pty) Ltd, A company called it and The Parlotones band (“The Organisers”).

In order to enter this competition and be considered for the prize, you must:

own a blog that you regularly maintain (“your blog”);
ensure that your blog has been registered on Afrigator.com;
create a blog post (“your blog post”) on your blog, before the closing date, that mentions the Giant Mistake wine somewhere in the content of the post;
post a link back to the Giant Mistake wine website located at http://theparlotoneswine.com on your blog post.
By entering this competition you confirm that you are at least 18 years of age.

This competition ends at midnight on the 31st of October 2009. The winners of this competition (“prizewinner”) will be selected on or before 7 November 2009 and will be notified by the contact email address supplied when registering on Afrigator.com as well as on http://blog.afrigator.com. If the prizewinner fails to contact us the judges will be forced to allocate a new winner for the competition.

This competition is only open to residents of South Africa.

There are two prizes available for this competition.

Dinner with The Parlotones band at a venue in Johannesburg
Dinner with The Parlotones band at a venue in Cape Town
Two different entrants are entitled to winning a prize. One prizewinner residing in Johannesburg and one prizewinner residing in Cape Town will be selected to attend the prize in the city they reside in.

Transport to and from the venue does not form part of the prize and is for the prizewinners own account.

Accommodation in Cape Town or Johannesburg does not form part of the prize.

The outcome of the competition is subject to the decision of The Organisers of the competition, whose decision is final, and no negotiations and or correspondence will be entered into after the fact.

Participants enter the competition at their own risk and The Organisers bear no responsibility for any loss, damage or harm suffered as a result of participation in the competition.

If The Organisers are unable to deliver a prize to a winner or if a winner fails to claim the prize then the prize concerned shall be forfeited.

The Organisers reserve the right to redistribute all unclaimed prizes if not claimed after one week after being given away.

Prizes may not be exchanged for cash or any other prize, nor are they transferable to any person other than the prizewinner.

No employees and immediate family of The Organisers nor their PR or advertising agents are allowed to participate.

The Organisers reserve the right, in its sole discretion, to suspend, alter, amend or close the competition as necessary.

The participants entering or taking part in this competition authorise The Organisers to publish any or all the details of the participant and or to take pictures of the participant without any liability on the part of The Organisers and or remuneration due to the participant.

If you are the prizewinner of the competition, you will need to make yourself available to attend the dinner (“claim the prize”) on a date specified by The Organisers. Should you not be able to claim the prize on the date specified then The Organisers will be forced to allocate a new winner for the competition.

No personal information will be disclosed to third parties without the user’s permission.

In the case of any disputes regarding these rules the decision of The Organisers will be final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into.

The laws of the Republic of South Africa govern this competition. You consent to the jurisdiction of a Magistrates Court in the Republic of South Africa, which has jurisdiction in respect of any dispute arising out of any aspect of this competition.

The Organisers may amend these rules from time to time in writing without notice to you. It is your responsibility to check for updates and amendments to these rules. To the extent these rules constitute an agreement between you and The Organisers, you agree that these rules may only be amended, in writing, by The Organisers.

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