“The buyer needs a hundred eyes, the seller but one” (Old proverb)

You buy a “pre-loved” vehicle which turns out to be a complete dud. You go back to the dealership which says “sorry, you bought it as is, not our problem”. What are your rights?

Buying from a private seller

When we discuss the CPA (Consumer Protection Act)’s consumer protections below, note that the CPA only applies to dealerships and to other sellers acting “in the ordinary course of business”. Private sales won’t fall under the CPA and any savvy private seller will sell subject to an “as is” or “voetstoots” clause, which will be valid and means that unless you can prove fraud on the part of the seller in concealing defects from you, the risk is on you. Bottom line – have the vehicle fully checked out before you pay a cent!

Buying from a dealership – CPA to the rescue!

Dealership sales are another matter entirely. The CPA provides that -

• Goods must be “reasonably suitable for the purposes for which they are generally intended … of good quality, in good working order, and free of any defects … will be useable and durable for a reasonable period of time, having regard to the use to which they would generally be put and to all the surrounding circumstances of their supply”.
  
  
• You are automatically given an implied warranty of quality that goods comply with those requirements and standards.
  
  
• If the goods fail to meet this standard, you can return them (at the seller’s risk and expense) within 6 months of their delivery and then the seller must – at your direction, the choice is yours - either
  
  
  • Repair or replace the goods, or
  • Refund you in full.

Note that the defects complained of cannot be just cosmetic or inconsequential. As the SCA (Supreme Court of Appeal) has put it: “Not every small fault is a defect as defined. It must either render the goods less acceptable than people generally would be reasonably entitled to expect from goods of that type, or it must render the goods less useful, practicable or safe for the purpose for which they were purchased.”

Four cases in point…

The National Consumer Tribunal deals with a large number of consumer complaints, and many of them relate to used car disputes. If you complain, it will be for you to prove that the dealership is in breach of the CPA, and if you succeed in doing so the Tribunal can impose administrative fines on the dealership as well as help you get redress. Let’s have a look at a few recent Tribunal judgments to see how that works in practice –

1. A breakdown after four months

   A couple bought a Mercedes Benz 220 CDI Automatic motor vehicle for R225,900. Four months later they suffered a breakdown, and were quoted R47,782 for repairs. The dealership replied that it was not liable because the issue was wear and tear, the buyers knew of the vehicle’s high mileage and they had declined to buy a warranty.

   Declining a “goodwill” offer of R10,000 from the dealership, the buyers referred the matter to the Motor Industry Ombudsman and thence it found its way to the Tribunal. The Tribunal, finding that the dealership had failed to make out a case that the damaged parts was a wear and tear issue, held the dealer guilty of prohibited conduct in terms of the CPA and ordered the dealership to refund the buyers in full.

2. Wrong tyres fitted – ordered to replace and to pay a R50k administrative fine

   A consumer bought a 2015 Mercedes Benz C200 Bluetec Avantgarde A/T motor vehicle for R300,469 and two days later established that its tyres were standard, and not run-flat per the manufacturer’s specifications. That meant there was no room in the vehicle for a spare wheel, plus she was told that this could result in her insurers repudiating any claims made.

   The dealer refused to act, claiming that the standard tyres were “100% according to specification and road legal as per roadworthy”. The Tribunal however held the dealership in breach of the CPA, ordered it to replace the tyres with run-flat tyres, and imposed a R50,000 administrative fine.

3. Continuous breakdowns and a R100k fine

   A 2015 model Toyota Avanza vehicle, with 172,475 kilometers on the odometer, kept breaking down and being repaired by the dealership. Eventually, three months after purchase, the buyer had had enough and told the dealer to take the vehicle back and refund him. The dealer however insisted on repairing the vehicle once again, and held the buyer liable for a R6,000 shortfall on a warranty policy repair, plus R58,000 in storage charges. He was unable to pay, plus he ran into arrears on his financing agreement and the financing bank repossessed and sold the vehicle.

   The dealership claimed that the buyer had acknowledged that the vehicle was in good condition by signing a checklist to that effect and argued that the buyer “purchased the vehicle pursuant to his satisfaction thereof”. Finding on the facts however that the dealership was guilty of conduct prohibited by the CPA, the Tribunal imposed an administrative fine of R100,000 on the dealership. The buyer can now claim his damages in the High Court with a certificate issued by the Tribunal confirming its findings.

4. Undisclosed accident damage reduces a vehicle’s value by R110k
   
   Bought for R342,900, a 2015 model Isuzu KB300 turned out to have been involved in a major collision before it was sold to the buyer, and to have a trade value of only R230,900. Finding that the material fact of the collision was not disclosed to the buyer at the time of sale, the Tribunal held the dealer to have engaged in prohibited conduct which caused the buyer financial prejudice, entitling him to compensation. He now has a Tribunal certificate to that effect and can pursue his damages claim accordingly.

“Oh, I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien” (Sting’s ‘Englishman in New York’)

South Africa is attractive to overseas property buyers with our world-class lifestyle, depreciated Rand, strong property registration and legal systems, and minimal restrictions against non-resident property ownership.

Which is of course great news for property sellers in any area popular with foreign investors. Coastal and other tourist-friendly areas will appeal particularly to buyers wanting a holiday or retirement destination, whilst those buying purely for investment or business reasons will have a wider focus.

As an upfront note, remember that as the seller it is your right to choose the conveyancing attorney. Don’t ever give that right up, and as always sign nothing without first taking specific legal advice.

But can a non-resident buy your house?

Yes - South Africa (unlike many other countries) imposes few restrictions on non-resident property buyers. Only “illegal aliens” (foreigners unlawfully in South Africa) are totally barred from ownership.

There are however some aspects that both you and your prospective buyer should be aware of -

• What laws and requirements apply? South African legal and regulatory requirements apply and non-residents should take local professional advice on anything they aren’t sure of to avoid unnecessary delay and to ensure a smooth sale and transfer process.
  
  
• Can the buyer buy in an entity? Certainly, but specific rules and tax considerations apply when an entity like a company or trust is the purchaser – professional advice is essential, and as a seller be aware of possible delays in the transfer process.
  
  
• Signing documents: The sale agreement itself can be signed anywhere and is valid so long as it is in writing and physically signed. However, when it comes to the signing of transfer documents for the Deeds Office and bond documents for the bank (if a bond is applied for) the buyer should if possible sign in South Africa. If that isn’t possible, the buyer can either appoint a local trusted representative via a Power of Attorney, or sign documents overseas with proper authentication (normally by a notary public or embassy/consular official, but the requirements vary by country).
  
  
• Costs: Overseas buyers should understand what costs are payable by them and should consider in particular big-ticket items like transfer duty (or VAT if applicable). Your conveyancer can help the prospective buyer with a cost estimate to avoid any cash flow issues and delays during the transfer process.
  
  
• Mortgage bonds: South African banks offer bond finance to non-residents, generally subject to both their normal criteria relating to affordability and so on, and to a “50/50” limit - the amount of the loan must be matched by an equal cash payment (usually by import of foreign funds). Note that this limit only applies to non-residents, so foreign nationals who are legally resident in the country may, and this varies from bank to bank, qualify for larger bonds of up to 75%, perhaps more in some cases. Compliance with FICA (the Financial Intelligence Centre Act) will require identification of the buyer and proof of residential address.
  
  
• Repatriating the money: When the non-resident eventually resells, they can repatriate the imported foreign funds and any proportional profit. It is essential for the buyer to keep all records relating to the original purchase and the “deal receipt” proving import of funds.
  
  
• What income and capital gains taxes are payable? If the property is rented out, rentals are subject to local income tax. On resale, CGT (Capital Gains Tax) applies.

Media reports of the recent Constitutional Court decision holding a section of the Divorce Act unconstitutional and giving Parliament 24 months to remedy that haven’t always been clear about who needs to be aware of this, and who doesn’t.

Firstly, understand the three “marital regimes” available to you

Legally, marriage amounts to a binding contract, and you have the right to choose between three possible “regimes” -

1. Marriage in community of property: All of your assets and liabilities are merged into one “joint estate” in which each of you has an undivided half share. On divorce or death the joint estate (including any profit or loss) is split equally between you, regardless of what each of you brought into the marriage or contributed to it thereafter. This is the “default” regime - so you will automatically be married in community of property if you don’t specify otherwise in an ANC (ante-nuptial contract) executed before you marry.
   
   
2. Marriage out of community of property without the accrual system: Your own assets and liabilities, both what you bring in and what you acquire during the marriage, remain exclusively yours to do with as you wish. Note here that the “accrual system” (see option 3 below) will apply to you unless your ANC specifically excludes it.
   
   
3. Marriage out of community of property with the accrual system: As with the previous option, your own assets and liabilities remain solely yours. On divorce or death however you also share equally in the “accrual” (growth) of your assets (with a few exceptions) during the marriage.

Secondly, what’s the new ruling all about?

If you were married out of community of property (a) without the accrual system (option 2 above) after (b) 1 November 1984, you previously could not ask the court for a “redistribution order” – a reallocation of assets between spouses to ensure a fair split. Your marriage could end (be it through divorce or death) with one of you in a strong financial position and the other in a dire financial position, with a court having no discretion to help the spouse with less or no assets. You could literally be left destitute after possibly decades of marriage, with no redress and no claim against your spouse’s assets.

A 2021 High Court order (now confirmed in a Constitutional Court decision) declared unconstitutional the section of the Divorce Act which led to that unhappy state of affairs, so that you can now ask the court for a redistribution order no matter when you were married.

What does it mean in practice?

• Does this change affect you? The change does not affect you if you were married –
  
  
  • In community of property (option 1 above), or
  • Out of community of property with accrual (option 3 above), or
  • Out of community of property without accrual (option 2 above) before 1 November 1984.

  The change does affect you if you were married out of community of property without accrual (option 2 above) after 1 November 1984.

• What new rights do you have? You now have the right – previously denied to you - to apply for a fair, court-ordered asset redistribution between spouses.
  
  
• Are you automatically entitled to a redistribution of assets? No - you will have to convince the court that “it is equitable and just by reason of the fact that the party in whose favour the order is granted, contributed directly or indirectly to the maintenance or increase of the estate of the other party during the subsistence of the marriage, either by the rendering of services, or the saving of expenses which would otherwise have been incurred, or in any other manner.” In other words, you must prove what contributions you made to the marriage to justify your claim to redistribution.
  
  
• Will the court take anything else into account? What about what you agreed to in your ANC? Importantly, the court can take into account “any other factor which should in the opinion of the court be taken into account”. What you agreed to in your ANC is bound to be a consideration, and as the Court here put it: “This is as wide as can be.The fact that the parties concluded an antenuptial contract excluding the accrual regime could be taken into account.The weight this factor should receive would depend on the circumstances.” Bottom line – the court can take anything relevant into account, including what you agreed to at the time of your marriage.

About to marry?

Which all confirms the importance of making the correct legal choices before you marry to avoid uncertainty, heartache and dispute down the line. Take professional advice on which option is best for you!

“Roman-Dutch law”

If you’ve ever wondered why so many legal principles referred to by our courts are stated in Latin or Dutch, the answer lies in the history of our legal system. “Roman-Dutch” law was based on old Roman law as applied in the Netherlands during the 17^th and 18^th centuries and was imported to the Cape during the Dutch colonial period. Although substantially modified since then by importation of English legal principles and by modern legislation, our common (unwritten) law remains Roman-Dutch and our courts still on occasion refer back to original Roman and Dutch laws, often using the original Latin and Dutch phrases.