A big victory for the FF Plus. This is how adv. Anton Alberts, the FF Plus chairperson and parliamentary spokesperson on trade and industry, described the National Consumer Commission's announcement that a nationwide investigation will now be formally launched into the holiday club industry.
According to adv. Alberts, the FF Plus has been driving the matter for years with great enthusiasm on behalf of all holiday club members and never gave up, even in times when it seemed as if there was no progress with the investigation.
Adv. Alberts himself took the matter to parliament and succeeded in convincing the parliamentary portfolio committee on trade and industry to look into it. In this way, the matter was finally referred to the National Consumer Commission.
Today, this protracted struggle has finally been rewarded with the commission’s announcement that a panel has been appointed to conduct a nationwide investigation into the matter.
"The FF Plus is delighted that this point has finally been reached, and encourages the public to participate in order to correct flaws and irregularities in the industry.
"It is also important that people affected should formally submit their complaints to the commission in order to prevent legal action against them because of overdue money and charges. At the moment people are harassed by legal actions and debt collectors.
"This can be done by calling Mr. Neels Hattingh of the FF Plus at 012-772-4410, or send him an email to neels@vfplus.org.za.
"The FF Plus is currently investigating, in collaboration with the Consumer Commission, the possibility of having all existing contracts declared invalid by a court application or with the intervention of the consumer tribunal while the current investigation is under way.
"More good news is that a six month time frame is linked to the investigation, which means it's not going to be a protracted process," Adv said. Alberts.
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