Right to repair campaign launched

THE Motor Industry Workshop Association (Miwa), which represents 2 200
independent aftermarket dealers, has launched the Right to Repair campaign.

Les McMaster, chairperson of Miwa, said the association believes that South
African laws needed to change to follow the international right to repair trend.

The Right To Repair campaign allows consumers to select where their vehicles are serviced, maintained and repaired at competitive prices in the workshop of their choice.

Where the right to repair campaigns have been successfully implemented in Europe, the UK and Australia, the campaigns have led to laws dictating that Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) must provide the same information to the independent aftermarket dealers as they already provide to their franchise dealers.

“Both the lack of access to information and the stringent framework surrounding warranty, maintenance and service plans, minimises, if not destroys, the consumer’s right to choose, and places OEMs and their franchise dealers with the exclusive control of that segment of the market. We at Miwa believe this imbalance needs to be addressed in South Africa as it has in other parts of the world, and we will be championing the cause,” he said.

• More on Miwa on www.miwa.co.za.