The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Is this device new?

Please help me out. I have a complaint regarding a cellphone store in Molepolole. I bought a tablet around September 2025, then in October the tablet could not read the SIM card. I took it back to the shop and I was told thar it's been taken for repair because it was still on warranty. OK fine.

Then they failed to repair it and was given another one which was on display since they said it's the only one left. OK fine I took the tablet but when I tried to install Whatsapp a message will appear saying "there are certain chats on this device which are not allowed and this number is blocked from using Whatsapp". Then after a few days when I was trying to install again certain chats with Indian faces appeared on the phone. I deleted them, then again after three days Whatsapp was blocked again with the same message about the chats with are not allowed. I tried searching through the phone to find out what the problem could be, so I found out that the device has an administrator.

I went back to the shop and was told to come back again later. I went there and was told the manager is not there, but he's the one who told me come back to the shop on Monday. These people sell us used phones and claim that the phones are new. Please help me.

The owners of this store obviously don't read The Voice because if they did, they would know about the Consumer Protection Act and what it demands from suppliers. Or perhaps they just don't care? It's not the first time we've had complaints like this about them. In case they're reading The Voice for the first time, I'll explain it to them very simply. Section 14 of the Act says that consumers are entitled to products that are "free of defects and are of a quality that consumers are reasonably entitled to expect". Section 15 also says that we can expect "goods which are of good quality, in good working order and free of defects". In simple terms, products should work properly.

However, we all understand that problems happen and the Act says that if an item is faulty, the consumer can return it within 6 months for a repair, replacement or refund. However, the Act does NOT say that the store can replace the faulty item with something inferior. Finally, Section 13 of the Act says that a supplier that "offers used goods shall inform a consumer" that they're not new. This device is obviously not new.

Well done to this store for breaking 4 different parts of the Consume Protection Act. I'll let them know.

Where's my money?

I had a policy with an insurance company paying P250. The agreement was it will not increase installment so when seeing that they increased I went to them and they said they is no how the policy can't increase the installment. They refused to give me all that I had already saved but it was a savings policy. My question is why they said the time phase didn't allow me to get my money back. When I called them they said it was an investment not a savings policy, so in the first two years it's their money and mine starts on third year.

Is there any help I can get?

I think this is a case of what they call "front-loading" of commission. When an agent sells an investment policy, they earn a commission payment. However, the investment policy might last for 5 years, 10 years or even longer. Instead of the commission being paid over the lifetime of the policy, all of it is paid in the first year or two. There's nothing wrong with that but it means that in the first 1-2 years, the commission can be as much as the premiums you pay into the policy. That means there's nothing saved in that period. You only start accruing money and interest after that period is over, sometimes not until the third year. The problem is that agents don't always explain this, even though they're meant to.

Realistically, there's not much that can be done, this is how these policies work but I'll ask the company to call and explain it to you.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

They're both broken!

I need your advice. Last year in February I did a laybye for a bed which was on promotion at a store in Selibe Phikwe. The total cost was P4300 and I paid P1000 so I was left with a balance of P3300 to finish off the lay bye within 4 months. I decided to finish off the lay bye before the agreed time because I desperately needed the bed, only to find out that the sales person who was assisting committed an error somehow on the computer and entered details of a different bed instead of the one I wanted. So I had to pay extra P200 to get the bed I wanted because of the mistake made by the sales person. What hurt me the most is that the manager and the sales person did not apologise, they simply said I should pay extra P200 because the bed was no longer on promotion the price has increased or if I don't pay the extra cash I should be refunded. Out of desperation I paid the extra money because I really needed the bed.

I went back to the store to report the bed in September because the mattress was bad and is giving funny noises. I had also purchased a fridge and the door was not closing. Till now they have not assisted me. They said I should wait for 3 weeks but they keep giving excuses

Till now they have not assisted me the guy who was helping me yesterday was very rude he said he will not give me another fridge as for the bed he said there's no way he can help me.

This store deserves recognition for three things. Poor products, poor service and poor complaint handling.

I know that mistakes happen, but minor mistakes that cost P200 out of a total of P4,300 shouldn't be made your responsibility. It wouldn't have made any serious impact on their profits and it would have demonstrated that they put your needs first. And an apology wouldn't have cost them anything at all.

And then when both items are faulty they ignore you and say that they can't assist you? No, that's really not good enough.

But there's good news. I contacted their Head Office and they assured both you and me that they will bring a new fridge the next day and they'll order a new bed which should take 2-3 weeks.

Where's my wardrobe?

Hello, Richard. I have bought wardrobe from a furniture and clothing boutique last year. I finished paying the wardrobe in March last year cos it was laybye. From last year till today I didn't receive my wardrobe and they don't want to refund me. The owner says she doesn't have money to refund me because the business is down. So please I need help.

You are the sixth customer who has contacted us in the last few years about this company and on every occasion the problem has been exactly the same. They take customer's money and then fail to deliver what was paid for. The customers are then forced to fight for their purchases and also for any information on when they might be delivered. The excuses have also always been the same. We don't have money.

Clearly the people running this company need some simple lessons on how to run a business and in particular, how to manage their cashflow. We all know that mistakes happen and occasionally companies have supply chain problems but this company has way too many of them.

I contacted the supplier (again) and they responded, saying that you can have a different wardrobe immediately or a refund at the end of January.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Must I pay so much?

I'm a government employee having a loan which is currently deducting P12,000 monthly, but when I sought for a settlement its even higher than the loan balance. I'm currently going through a rough phase of life, I just wanted a resolution. Can't they help me with installment reduction or revisit they way they calculate their installments?

My loan balance sits at P607,000 and the settlement was estimated to P649,000. I started the loan in 2022 and I cleared a bank loan of P249k with it. I took topups in between and now I'm struggling.

Mainly I really need their help with installment reduction to P2,500 so I can care for my child and be able to pay rent I've sent them a message on Facebook and pleaded with humbleness that they help me.

They said that I should go to the nearest branch and meet the manager. When I got there I laid my case. The manager told me the loan needs restructuring but by the look of things I have to pay P30,000 to reduce the loan balance to be able to be helped with restructuring. Please sir help me communicate with them please concerning this I'm really going through a lot.

Unfortunately there's no goods news I can offer you. No lender would ever consider dropping the monthly instalments from P12,000 to P2,500 for one simple reason. It would take more than 20 years to repay a loan of P607,000 with monthly payments of P2,500. And that's if there are no problems, defaults or delays. They'll never agree to that. They want their money in the next 4 years, the time you agreed with them.

Meanwhile I understand that your situation is desperate. I'll send you details of a trusted debt counsellor who you must go and see. They'll do their best to restructure your debts in a way you can afford.

They sold me a worn out car!

I'm so stressed and I need your help. I bought a car in Durban sometimes in December. I managed to collect the car this week but the car is worn out. I spoke to those who I was buying the car from back in Durban. Now they are so reluctant to help yet they gave me a car which I think was involved in some accidents. There are a number of faults in it. The radio requires a code but they know nothing about it. It was their duty to check if everything was ok before loading the car n communicate if the condition of the car was not okay.

I paid them a deposit and had to pay the remaining balance of P15,000 to an account they gave me, it is a Botswana account. They sent an invoice through WhatsApp. The receipt was written low amount because they claimed that if they wrote the exact amount, BURS was going to charge me a lot.

Is there any help I can get?

There are several problems here. Firstly, you have a cross-border complication. Who do you complain to? The consumer protection authorities in South Africa or here in Botswana? If you need to buy a car from overseas it's always worth going through an agent based here in Botswana so you have someone who will take responsibility here, not in another country if there's a problem.

There is a slight hope because you paid some of the money to an account here. Whose account was it?

Finally, and perhaps the most worrying thing is BURS. If you and the seller knowing falsified documents about the value of the vehicle, you need to confess to BURS immediately. They're much more likely to be forgiving if you confess before they catch you. I suggest you call them as soon as possible and ask for their help.

The Voice - Consumer's Voice

They burned me!

Please I need your help. In September I went to a store to buy a chemical which unblocks the drain. Unfortunately when the manager was still explaining how it works it spilled on my hand and leg and burnt my dress.

I then went to the hospital and went back to the shop. I was told that they have a disclaimer that if anything happens to the customer they can't do anything. I had submitted a medical report and now have permanent scars but still they are just quiet. When I asked about the SHE officer the manager told me that they don't have one.

Please I need your help how to deal with this issue. Thank you.

This is unacceptable in so many different ways.

Firstly, how careless were they if they spilled something that dangerous over you? They urgently need to train their staff much better on safety and health issues. When consumers visit any store that sells dangerous products, we deserve assurance that we'll be safe. They also need to assure their staff that the risks they face are minimised.

Secondly, they need to take responsibility for their mistake. You sent me pictures of the burns you suffered and they look extremely painful. They need to stop ignoring you, take responsibility for their mistake and help you.

I'll contact their senior managers and encourage them to take responsibility and to contact you. I'll also suggest they need to review their standards and policies to make sure that mistakes like this don't happen again.

They took a year!

Hello, Richard! I bought a TV in 2024 October. In November the TV started giving me problems and I reported it. Thereafter the store promised to come and collect the TV for a whole year failing to collect. Finally they collected the TV in October 2025 and up to today its not returned. When I enquire its story after story. I am still paying for the goods but they are with them.

I have exhausted all the right channels. I escalated the matter to the manager and regional manager but still no help. I am always met with empty promises of receiving the TV. Is it possible I can get my money back since they have not fulfilled their contractual obligations and they keep their TV?

How can it take so long to respond to a complaint about a faulty item? An entire year? What were they doing for so long? I wonder if they understand that Section 14 of the Consumer Protection Act says that when "a supplier undertakes to perform any services for or on behalf of a consumer, the consumer has a right to … timely performance and completion of those services (and) timely notice of any unavoidable delay". It doesn't say what "timely" means, but we all know that it doesn't mean 365 days.

It's also very important that senior people at this company understand that it was THEIR fault that there was a delay, not yours. We don't want them to suggest that we're now outside the warranty period.

I've emailed the most senior people and I'm sure they'll take the matter seriously.