Theodorus Vonk v Willow Crest Motors CC

[2019] ZANCT 63 (also cited as [2019] ZANCT 68 — SAFLII duplicate)

Body
National Consumer Tribunal
Date
2019-04-06
Case no.
NCT/115078/2018/75(1)(b)
Retrieved
2026-04-25
Used on the site

[2019] ZANCT 63 / 68 | National Consumer Tribunal | 6 April 2019

Proposition cited on the site

The voetstoots (“as-is”) clause does not apply to transactions falling under the CPA.

Quoted on the site (verbatim from the judgment as widely cited in secondary commentary):

“the concept of a ‘voetstoots’ sale… is therefore not applicable to any transactions falling under the CPA”

Facts

The Applicant (Theodorus Vonk) purchased a vehicle from the Respondent (Willow Crest Motors CC) which had a serious gearbox problem. The sales agreement contained a voetstoots clause. The Applicant lodged a complaint first with the Motor Industry Ombudsman of South Africa (MIOSA) under CPA s 72(1)(a), then with the National Consumer Commission, before referring the matter to the Tribunal.

Held (operative)

  • The voetstoots clause was a clear breach of CPA s 51 — a contractual term purporting to waive the consumer’s s 56 statutory rights is void to the extent of the contravention.
  • Selling a vehicle with serious safety implications (gearbox problem) was also a breach of CPA s 55 (right to safe, good-quality goods).
  • The Respondent was ordered to make remedial undertakings; the conduct was found to be prohibited.

Citation note

SAFLII holds both [2019] ZANCT 63 and [2019] ZANCT 68 for the same judgment (same parties, same NCT case number NCT/115078/2018/75(1)(b), same 6 April 2019 decision). The duplicate is a SAFLII housekeeping artefact. Both URLs resolve to the same judgment. The site uses [2019] ZANCT 63; this file’s primary_url points to the ZANCT 68 path because that’s where SAFLII currently serves the judgment. Either citation is defensible.

Parallel authority

See Fourie-Agenbag-ZACONAF-3-2018.md for the North West Consumer Affairs Court’s parallel holding (NW12/2017, 4 May 2018), which the site now correctly attributes to the Consumer Affairs Court rather than to the National Consumer Tribunal.

Cross-references

Status

Operative facts and holding summarised verbatim-equivalent above. Full judgment text fillable from the NCT PDF on next refresh.

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