Addressing Complaints: We’re Buying Cars to Settle R2.5M Fine and Additional Millions in Consumer Compensation.

Johannesburg – We Buy Cars (Pty) Ltd (WBC) has agreed to pay over five million rand to resolve complaints, as announced by the National Consumer Tribunal.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, 23 December 2025, the Tribunal revealed that a settlement agreement had been reached between the National Consumer Commission (NCC) and We Buy Cars following constructive discussions between both parties.

The NCC submitted the settlement agreement to the Tribunal on 3 December 2025.

Following a thorough review, the Tribunal confirmed the settlement agreement on 19 December 2025, establishing it as a consent order under Section 74(1) of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA).

The Tribunal unveiled that We Buy Cars consented to settle the issue with a fine of R2.5 million and an additional R3.4 million designated for consumer compensation.

As part of the agreement, We Buy Cars has pledged to undertake the following actions to enhance consumer protection and improve service quality:

• Submit an administrative fine of R2,500,000 (two million five hundred thousand rands);

• Provide refunds amounting to R3,419,971.83 (three million four hundred nineteen thousand nine hundred seventy-one rand and eighty-three cents) to 31 (thirty-one) impacted consumers;

• Revise the terms and conditions to align with the CPA;

• Launch a Consumer Awareness Programme aimed at educating consumers regarding the purchase of pre-owned vehicles, their rights and responsibilities, and the supplier’s obligations under the CPA; and

• Generate 300 job opportunities across various levels within WBC over the next 5 (five) years, in addition to existing employment initiatives, to enhance customer service capacity and overall consumer experience.

“Over the past three years, the NCC has received complaints from consumers asserting that We Buy Cars failed to provide remedies in accordance with sale agreements between the supplier and consumers,” the Tribunal noted.

“The NCC developed reasonable suspicion that WBC’s terms and conditions, especially concerning warranties and sale terms, breached several provisions of the CPA.

“The NCC investigated the consumers’ complaints and concluded that the terms and conditions of the sale agreements transgressed the CPA.”

In response to the consent order issued by the Tribunal, Acting Commissioner Hardin Ratshisusu stated: “This settlement brings closure to investigations against We Buy Cars for violations of the CPA.

“We Buy Cars, among other commitments, has agreed to assess and modify its terms and conditions to ensure full compliance with the CPA, thereby thoroughly safeguarding consumer rights.

“Consumers affected by these actions will receive remediation as part of this settlement.”