WeBuyCars fined and ordered to refund customers over Consumer Protection Act breaches
National Consumer Tribunal ruling against WeBuyCars — National Consumer Tribunal
A note on our sourcing
No Tribunal case or reference number was available in the news report we found, and we have not independently sighted the ruling. Details reflect this single news source only.
What happened
Following roughly three years of consumer complaints about warranty and sale-term failures, the National Consumer Tribunal — a statutory body, not a court — found that WeBuyCars' terms and conditions breached multiple provisions of the Consumer Protection Act. It ordered a R2.5 million administrative fine, R3.4 million in customer refunds, a revision of its terms and conditions, and a consumer-awareness campaign.
Why it made the news
WeBuyCars is South Africa's largest used-car retailer, so a combined penalty approaching R6 million made national business news.
For lawyers & law students
A useful example of the Tribunal combining an administrative fine with direct consumer redress (refunds) and behavioural remedies for systemic, rather than isolated, CPA non-compliance — relevant precedent when advising on CPA enforcement strategy beyond a single complainant's claim.
For citizens
If you bought a used car and the warranty or sale terms didn't hold up, the Consumer Protection Act backs you — and the Tribunal has shown it will force even the biggest retailers to refund affected customers.