The news in brief
The NCC has invited comments on accreditation applications by consumer groups.
The NCC has invited comments on applications from the National Informal Business Compliance Agency and the South African Franchisee Association. Both applications were published in the Gazette on 2 October 2026 (NCC, 19 October 2026). They are applications under consultation, not announcements that accreditation has been granted.
The roles the two groups propose are quite different. The National Informal Business Compliance Agency describes education and awareness work for vulnerable consumers, including those in townships and the informal economy, and its application expressly says that it does not conduct investigations, inspections or enforcement. The franchisee association describes representation, help with dispute resolution and work on relations between franchisees and franchisors (NCC consultation notice).
The legal framework for accreditation is set out in the Consumer Protection Act (section 78). The NCC’s consumer-group page separates open applications from accredited groups. A name on the application list is therefore not enough to show approved status, or authority to handle every kind of consumer complaint.
The notice allows written comments within 45 days of publication (NCC notice and submission instructions). Anyone looking for help with a complaint should check the eventual decision, the organisation’s permitted role and whether that role covers their problem. Accreditation and the merits of the underlying complaint remain separate questions.
Going further
This news item is part of a broader topic, which our page South Africa: personal data, romance scams and identity theft covers in detail.
Read the page: South Africa: personal data, romance scams and identity theft