Stuck with a bad Service or claim? Use South Africa’s Ombuds for fast, free resolutions

October Legal Wellness - O is for Ombud 

By Simone Steinmair-Myburgh 

Typically when something goes wrong with a bank deduction, a car repair, a mobile contract, or an insurance claim… many South Africans assume the only path is lawyers and litigation. This is however not always the case. 

Did you know that South Africa has a network of Ombudsmen? In other words: forums per industry who may be able to assist quickly, informally and free of charge! 

Yes, Ombudsmen are free and independent, faster and less formal than court, have specialised expertise in their industry, can unlock refunds/ repairs/ corrections or better outcomes, and helps raise standards across entire sectors. 

Let’s picture three frustrating scenarios that have, most likely, happened in either your household or in the household of someone you know. 

EPISODES 

Scenario 1 “The Burst Geyser Blues”

Mandy’s ceiling collapses after a night-time geyser burst. What a terrible way to start the October school holidays! How is she going to balance dropping off her kids at their grandparents, rushing to the office AND logging a claim with her short-term insurer? To add force to the tsunami, her short-term insurer rejects the claim as general ‘wear and tear’. 

Mandy is fuming, but she remembers an important section in her policy document’s statutory disclosure regarding complaints. “Don’t panic; escalate internally, then take it to the NFOSA if need be,” she hums to herself whilst sipping on her matcha.  

Scenario 2 “Crossed Wires” 

Uncle Vince finally admits that he does not know his way around the impressive toolbox that he keeps in his garage. All show, no tricks. 

He hides this toolbox on the day the paid handyman arrives to tidy loose wires, add a socket and sort out the earth leakage (whatever that means). But alas. Two days later the lights flicker, the power trips and there is a burning smell near the new socket. The handyman blocks him on WhatsApp and no Certificate of Compliance was issued as the final nail in the coffin.  What to do? Time to whirl out the impressive toolbox, or rather not waste precious time by admitting that electrical work is serious business? 

Some friends point him to the Small Claims Court to recover the money paid to the handyman and others suggest the Electrical Contractors’ Association of South Africa.

Scenario 3 “The Warranty that Wasn’t” 

Georgina buys a new fridge, with extra space for multiple tablespoons (as there is no better feeling than icy tablespoons firmly pressed against the dark circles under her eyes first thing in the morning). At checkout, the salesperson says the purchase “must include” a pricey two-year “platinum care plan” failing which “no returns if it breaks.” The printed invoice shows the plan as a separate line item and the contract small print hints it’s “optional,” yet the sales script never made that clear...

Three months later, the fridge fails. Georgina’s undereye bags deepen. The store keeps her for weeks with “supplier assessments” and refuses a refund unless she pays a 15% inspection fee. Georgina tries to play it cool by attempting to resolve it in writing (she keeps the e-mails, photos, and repair reports) and then lodges a complaint with the National Consumer Commission (NCC)! 

SO HOW DOES EACH SCENARIO PLAY OUT?

Scenario 1 “The Burst Geyser Blues” aka short-term claim repudiation aka NFOSA Ombud 

NFOSA is the National Financial Ombud Scheme of South Africa and assists with both short-term/ non-life as well as long-term/ life policy complaints. 

How to complain (and what to attach):

• Complain to your insurer first. Ask for a final written response/ repudiation letter which should also include complaint escalation details as well as NFOSA’s details. 
• If unresolved, lodge with NFOSA (online, e-mail or phone). Include: policy schedule & wording, claim decision, photos/ assessor or plumber reports, invoices/ quotes, correspondence, timeline, and what outcome you want.
• NFOSA’s online home page explains the sequence and what happens once your file is accepted. 

How long does it take? NFOSA’s 19 June 2025 update reports an overall average of 115 days, with the non-life division averaging 177 days. Note that the complexity and missing documents can extend time so add in as much information as you can as complete files move faster. 

Contact: 

• Share call: 0860 800 900; 
• E-mail: info@nfosa.co.za; 
• Web: nfosa.co.za (Complaints Process / Short-Term landing). 

Yes, the same forum applies should you have a qualm regarding a legal cost insurance claim!

Scenario 2 “Crossed Wires” aka the Electrical Contractors’ Association of South Africa.

Did you know? Electrical work in a home isn’t an ordinary “DIY service”. In SA, only a registered person may issue a valid CoC, and you may not do electrical installation work unless registered as a contractor. 

What to do? 

Step 1: Make it safe, gather your evidence

• Switch off the circuit/ main if there’s heat or a burning smell
• Photograph the before/after, the DB board, new sockets, exposed joints, and any burnt insulation.
• Pull together your quote, invoice, WhatsApps, bank proof of payment, and the fact that no CoC was issued (or a suspicious one was issued).
• If you can, verify whether the person is registered: the Electrical Conformance Board (ECB) online site provides guidance and contact details, and you can search or query an electrician’s registration. 

Step 2: Complain

The Electrical Contractors’ Association of SA (ECA(SA)) is the national employers’ organisation for electrical contractors. It offers technical guidance, a national Call Centre, regional offices, and a CoC complaint intake. 

They can assist/ mediate especially where the contractor is an ECA member, and they’ll point consumers to the correct legal channels where fraud or non-registration is suspected.

Use the ECA(SA) CoC Complaint form if your issue involves no CoC, a fake/ irregular CoC, or concerns about whether the CoC was properly issued. You can also phone/ e-mail their team to be routed to a regional office. Attach: your photos, invoice/ quote, any CoC (if provided), and all correspondence.

What to expect: ECA(SA) can engage the contractor (especially members) and, where appropriate, help you escalate.

Contact:

• Call Centre: 087 944 4555 
• Main switchboard: (011) 392 0000 
• E-mail: info@ecasa.co.za

Scenario 3 “The Warranty that Wasn’t” aka National Consumer Protection

Georgina kicked off the process right after the failure.

1. First she lodged an internal complaint with the store, including proof of purchase, photo’s, a short timeline and a clear ask to repair/ replace or refund in terms of the Consumer Protection Act’s quality and fitness provisions 
2. Because this is also a retail/ service dispute, Georgina could have lodged the complaint with the Consumer Goods & Services Ombud (CGSO) for free mediation. If the retailer had simply complied at this stage, the story would have ended here. 
3. But Georgina chose the National Consumer Commission (NCC) due to the sales pitch and her guess that this is a general problem at the store, not a once-off. She included the following information to her complaint: invoice, photo’s, the store’s ”no refunds” signage and screenshots of the sales script messages. 

Contact details of the NCC: 

• The best route is the online e-services portal. 
• Go to eservice.thencc.org.za and create a profile with your ID and e-mail. Wait for the verification/activation e-mail, then log in to submit and track your complaint (note you can file multiple complaints under one profile). 
• No internet? Phone help: Call the NCC Contact Centre: 012 065 1940. An agent can create a profile on your behalf and give you a reference number for follow-ups. 
• E-mail (general enquiries/ legal advisory): enquiries@thencc.org.za (enquiries & follow-ups). advisory@thencc.org.za (legal advisory) 

What happened in Georgina’s case? 

The investigators of the NCC collected the store’s sales scripts, in-store signage, and a sample of invoices. They then found a pattern: customers were told the “care plan” was compulsory and that CPA return rights depend on buying it. Both practices are misleading and unfair under the CPA!

Next they issued a Compliance Notice to the retailer. The Compliance Notice instructs the retailer to: Stop representing the add-on plan as mandatory; Refund customers who were compelled to buy it; Honour CPA remedies (repair/ replace/ refund) for defective fridges without “inspection fees”; and File proof of compliance within set dates. In terms of the Consumer Protection Act, an NCC Compliance Notice sets out required steps and deadlines and remains in force unless and until set aside by the Tribunal or a court.

In the short term her individual dispute was resolved, and she chooses a refund on return of the fridge before taking her business elsewhere. However, her courage also brought about a sector-wide fix as the retailer is forced to stop misrepresenting add-ons and retrain staff. 

CONCLUSION

South Africa’s ombud system is a practical shortcut to justice: free, expert, and purpose-built to fix common consumer and financial disputes. Use the supplier’s complaints process first, then escalate to the relevant ombud with a complete, well-documented case. It can save you months of stress and significant legal cost, while helping improve industry standards for everyone. Thanks to the Ombudsmen, Mandy was able to scrub off the bad taste of the burst geyser, Uncle Vince can finally accept his limitations, and Georgina’s intervention was to the benefit of many consumers! 

Biography

Simone Steinmair-Myburgh is the proud co-founder and co-owner of Legal Hero as established in 2014. After completing her LLB at the University of Stellenbosch, Simone immediately joined the legal cost insurance industry where she gained experience in legal mediation, legal writing, compliance and compassion. She continues to draw inspiration from the school of experience as a woman in insurance, and furthermore completed her Key Individual examination to be registered with the Financial Sector Conduct Authority.