This plea from the Regulator comes just days before the country’s general elections as South Africa’s 26.7 million registered voters are anticipated to cast their ballot in the National and Provincial Elections on 8 May. OFM News’ Pulane Choane reports that the NCR, which is an entity of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), is urging all those consumers whose identity documents were taken by credit providers to make sure to collect them before Wednesday, which will be voting day.

In terms of the National Credit Act (NCA), it is illegal and also a criminal offence for credit providers to retain any consumer instruments such as identity documents, bank and SASSA cards as a way to enforce credit agreements. The regulator further appealed to consumers to report such matters to their local South African Police Service (SAPS) and the NCR. Furthermore, consumers are also urged to avoid credit providers who require them to hand over their identity documents or cards before they get credit as this is usually coupled with reckless lending and overcharging.

Between January to March of this year, the NCR conducted six raids together with the SAPS, where five criminal cases were opened. During these raids 411 bank SASSA cards and 37 consumer instruments (identity documents, passports and driver’s licenses) were seized.

OFM News