World Consumer Rights Day is an annual celebration to promote the basic rights of all consumers. All citizens are mobilised to demand that those rights are respected and protected, and to protest the market abuses and social injustices which undermine them.
Commemoration of the WCRD is meant to consciountise consumers about their right to quality products goods and services.
This year`s celebration will be anchored on supporting Government’s initiatives to employ all possible interventions to strengthen the financial skills of consumer publics, government employees and improve their health profile. It is time for employers to take responsibility regarding the financial wellness of their employees. In the past most employers focused only on employee health wellness whilst employee financial wellness was ignored.
In the Free State, activities will include the celebration of 10 years of the consumer court and the passing of the Unfair Business Practice Act, Act number 14 of 1998. Free State Consumer Protection Office handled many cases and managed to recover for consumers’ money to the value of R9 million since 2009. These cases were resolved through investigations and court. The statistics shows that the office is working tirelessly to make sure that consumers know their rights, understand them and enforce them.
The MEC for the Department of Economic Development Tourism and Environmental Affairs indicated Mamiki Qabathe, MEC for DETEA indicated that government is doing all in its power to educate consumers about their rights through holding Consumer Education Awareness Campaigns in different places and radio slots.
Free State province Consumer Protection Office will celebrate the World Consumer Rights Day as follows and the media is invited:
Date: 14 March 2013
Venue: Henneman (Phomolong Community Hall)
Time: 08h30 – 11h30
For more information contact:
Festy Nyamate
Tel: 051 4009548
E-mail: nyamatef@detea.fs.gov.za
