Buying a new car in South Africa long came with an unwritten rule that it had to go back to the dealer for every service until the warranty ran out, whatever the bill and however far the drive. Justin, who manages Car Care Clinic at The Square in Sunninghill, still meets motorists who believe that rule applies, even though the ground shifted on 1 July 2021, when the Competition Commission’s Guidelines for Competition in the South African Automotive Aftermarket came into effect, a set of rules better known in South Africa as the Right to Repair.
The guidelines allow owners to have a car serviced, maintained and repaired by an independent workshop of their choice while it is still under warranty. Service and maintenance plans must be offered separately from the price of the car, so buyers can choose a plan from the dealer or elsewhere, and original or non original parts may be fitted during the warranty period. The guidelines are not law in themselves; they set out how the Commission reads the Competition Act for the motor aftermarket, and the motor industry has broadly committed to them.
What Right to Repair in South Africa allows
They also come with a catch that every owner should understand. If a manufacturer finds that damage was caused by work done at an independent workshop, or by a non original part, it may refuse to cover that damage under warranty. Independent workshops carry full liability for their own work, must comply with the Consumer Protection Act, and are expected to tell customers whether they carry adequate insurance. Disputes go to the Motor Industry Ombudsman of South Africa.
Which is why, Justin said, accreditation matters. Car Care Clinic is approved by the Motor Industry Workshop Association, MIWA, and its workshops are approved by the Retail Motor Industry Organisation, the RMI.
Why accreditation matters
“You get registered onto it and then from there you fall under the umbrella of the RMI and the MIWA,” he said. “For the consumer it means basically you’re getting an accredited workshop to work on your vehicle, with parts and qualified technicians.”
Accreditation is not a sticker on the door. According to MIWA, a workshop must pass an evaluation of its premises, tools and diagnostic equipment, administration, waste disposal, health and safety and staff qualifications before it may display the insignia. Accredited workshops must offer guarantees, carry insurance that includes cover for defective workmanship, and sign a code of conduct, and every member is graded under an independent star rating programme. MIWA also offers a structure to help resolve disputes between customers and member workshops.
At the Sunninghill branch, that translates into a few practical promises listed by Car Care Clinic: genuine SABS approved replacement parts where applicable, a full report on defects found, a 10 000km or six month guarantee on service work, and no additional work done without the customer’s consent.
Anyone with a car under warranty should still read the warranty booklet and, where in doubt, ask the manufacturer what applies to their model before booking elsewhere. Car Care Clinic Sunninghill is at Sunninghill Square, on the corner of Leeukop Street and Naivasha Road, on 011 202 5244.
