Where to go: SA legal & compliance bodies

Investigates improper conduct, maladministration and abuse of power in any state affairs — government departments, municipalities, state-owned entities.

Use it when: A government body treated you unfairly, ignored you, delayed unreasonably, or acted corruptly — and internal complaints failed.

☎ 0800 11 20 40 · www.pprotect.org

Promotes, protects and monitors human rights; investigates rights violations (equality, dignity, education, housing, healthcare) and takes matters to the Equality Court.

Use it when: Your constitutional rights were violated by the state or a private party — discrimination, hate speech, denial of basic services, xenophobic harassment.

☎ 011 877 3600 · www.sahrc.org.za

Promotes and protects gender equality; investigates gender-based discrimination and systemic inequality.

Use it when: Gender-based discrimination at work, in services, or by the state; gender-related policy complaints.

☎ 0800 007 709 · cge.org.za

Audits national and provincial government, municipalities and public entities; reports on irregular and wasteful expenditure.

Use it when: Reporting misuse of public funds (whistleblower reports feed into audit findings).

☎ 012 426 8000 · www.agsa.co.za

Resolves labour disputes: unfair dismissal, unfair labour practice, severance, organisational rights. Conciliation then arbitration.

Use it when: Dismissed, retrenched, or treated unfairly at work — refer within 30 days of dismissal (90 for unfair labour practice).

☎ 0861 16 16 16 · www.ccma.org.za

Enforces the BCEA and OHS Act via labour inspectors; registers UIF and COIDA claims; oversees minimum wage compliance.

Use it when: Underpayment of the national minimum wage, no payslips/contracts, unsafe working conditions, BCEA breaches.

☎ 0860 101 018 · www.labour.gov.za

Pays unemployment, illness, maternity, parental, adoption and dependants' benefits to contributors.

Use it when: You lost your job, are on maternity/parental leave, or a contributing breadwinner died — claim within 12 months.

☎ 0800 030 007 · www.labour.gov.za/uif

Compensates employees for injuries, illness or death arising out of and in the course of employment.

Use it when: Injured at work or diagnosed with an occupational disease — employer must report; you can follow up directly.

☎ 0860 105 350 · www.labour.gov.za

State-funded legal representation in criminal matters (where substantial injustice would result) and qualifying civil matters; free advice line.

Use it when: You face criminal charges or a civil dispute and cannot afford an attorney.

☎ 0800 110 110 · legal-aid.co.za

A special jurisdiction within Magistrates' and High Courts hearing unfair discrimination, hate speech and harassment complaints under PEPUDA; can grant interdicts, damages, apologies and corrective orders.

Use it when: Discrimination, hate speech or harassment based on race, nationality, ethnicity, gender or another prohibited ground — free, no lawyer required.

☎ Via the clerk of your nearest Magistrates' Court · www.justice.gov.za/eqc/eqc.html

Institutes criminal proceedings on behalf of the state; decides whether to prosecute, divert or withdraw.

Use it when: Making representations about a prosecution decision; witness/victim queries about a criminal case.

☎ 012 845 6000 · www.npa.gov.za

Administers deceased estates, insolvencies, trusts, curatorships and the Guardian's Fund.

Use it when: Reporting a deceased estate (within 14 days), letters of executorship, trust registration, minor's inheritance.

☎ 012 406 4805 (Master's national office) · www.justice.gov.za/master

Evaluates the best interests of children in divorce and parental-rights disputes; mediates and reports to court; registers parenting plans.

Use it when: Care/contact disputes, parenting plans, relocation disagreements — free evaluation and mediation.

☎ 012 357 8022 · www.justice.gov.za/fmadv

Prevents and investigates crime; opens criminal cases; assists with protection-order breaches and domestic violence.

Use it when: Reporting any crime; enforcing a protection order (bring the warrant); certifying affidavits; reporting threats or intimidation.

☎ 10111 (emergency); 08600 10111 (crime stop) · www.saps.gov.za

Investigates criminal offences by SAPS/municipal police members: deaths in custody, assault, torture, corruption.

Use it when: You were assaulted or your rights were violated by police.

☎ 012 399 0000 · www.ipid.gov.za

Regulates attorneys and advocates; investigates misconduct complaints against legal practitioners; administers the Fidelity Fund.

Use it when: Complaints about your attorney (overreaching fees, negligence, trust money) — and Fidelity Fund claims for stolen trust funds.

☎ 010 001 8500 · lpc.org.za

IDs, passports, births, marriages, deaths, citizenship, visas, permanent residence, refugee status.

Use it when: Marriage registration/verification, late birth registration, ID/passport problems, immigration status, asylum applications.

☎ 0800 60 11 90 · www.dha.gov.za

Enforces the Consumer Protection Act: investigates prohibited conduct, product recalls, systemic supplier abuse.

Use it when: Supplier conduct affecting many consumers, unsafe products, CPA contraventions the ombud can't resolve.

☎ 012 428 7000 · thencc.org.za

Free ombud for disputes with retailers and suppliers of goods and services under the CPA.

Use it when: A shop refuses your s 56 refund/replacement/repair election — escalate here first; it's free and fast.

☎ 0860 000 272 · www.cgso.org.za

Regulates credit providers, debt counsellors and credit bureaus under the National Credit Act; investigates reckless lending.

Use it when: Reckless credit, harassment by debt collectors, credit-record disputes, debt counselling complaints.

☎ 0860 627 627 · www.ncr.org.za

Registers companies and co-operatives, maintains the companies register, registers trade marks/patents/designs, enforces the Companies Act.

Use it when: Company registration, annual returns, director disputes/records, trade mark filing, business rescue notices.

☎ 086 100 2472 · www.cipc.co.za

Single ombud (since 2024) for banking, credit, long- and short-term insurance disputes — merged the banking, credit and insurance ombuds.

Use it when: Disputes with your bank, insurer or credit provider: rejected claims, unauthorised debits, unfair treatment.

☎ 0860 800 900 · nfosa.co.za

Determines complaints against retirement funds: unpaid benefits, withdrawal delays, fund maladministration.

Use it when: Your provident/pension payout is delayed, miscalculated, or the fund won't respond.

☎ 012 748 4000 · www.pfa.org.za

Resolves disputes in sectional title schemes, homeowners' associations and share block schemes; quality-checks scheme governance.

Use it when: Body corporate levies, fines, meeting/vote disputes, unreasonable conduct rules, access to scheme records.

☎ 0800 000 653 · www.csos.org.za

Regulates estate agents and property practitioners; operates the Fidelity Fund for trust-money theft.

Use it when: Complaints about an estate agent's conduct or misappropriated deposits held by an agency.

☎ 087 285 3222 · theppra.org.za

Free provincial tribunals resolving landlord–tenant disputes: deposits, maintenance, unfair practices, exploitative rentals.

Use it when: Deposit not refunded, premises not maintained, arbitrary rent increases, harassment by landlord or tenant.

☎ Gauteng 0860 106 166 (each province has its own) · www.gauteng.gov.za (search 'Rental Housing Tribunal' for your province)

Administers tax collection, assessments, objections and appeals, customs and excise.

Use it when: Tax registration, disputes (object within 80 business days), payment arrangements, tax clearance.

☎ 0800 00 7277 · www.sars.gov.za

Independent review of service, procedural and administrative complaints against SARS.

Use it when: SARS delays refunds, ignores correspondence, or breaches its own procedures — after exhausting SARS's internal complaints process.

☎ 0800 662 837 · www.taxombud.gov.za

Enforces the Protection of Personal Information Act (data privacy) and the Promotion of Access to Information Act (access to records).

Use it when: Your personal data was leaked, misused or sold; direct-marketing spam; a body refuses access to records you're entitled to.

☎ 010 023 5200 · inforegulator.org.za

Investigates complaints about public and private health establishments: negligence, poor care, facility standards.

Use it when: Sub-standard hospital/clinic treatment, health-facility complaints not resolved internally.

☎ 080 911 6472 · ohsc.org.za

Regulates medical schemes; adjudicates disputes about benefits, prescribed minimum benefits and membership.

Use it when: Medical aid refuses to pay for a prescribed minimum benefit or terminates membership unfairly.

☎ 0861 123 267 · www.medicalschemes.co.za

Administers social grants: child support, older persons, disability, foster child, social relief of distress.

Use it when: Applying for or appealing the refusal/suspension of a social grant.

☎ 0800 60 10 11 · www.sassa.gov.za