Podcasts by ECR Consumerwatch
Wendy Knowler is arguably South Africa’s most experienced consumer journalist. She’s helped more consumers over her 20 year career in consumer journalism than she could count. But while known as a champion of consumer rights, Wendy is also known and respected by corporates for her fair, accurate and balanced reporting. Want to be a more sussed consumer or corporate? Listen to Wendy's episodes here.
Further podcasts by East Coast Radio
Podcast on the topic Freizeit
All episodes
Bank fraudsters get F2F with pensioners - in their homes! from 2021-12-09T09:41
Consumerwatch’s Wendy Knowler warns about a new very direct method fraudsters are using to trick pensioners into giving them access to their bank accounts.
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How to deal with Fourth Wave related cancellations from 2021-12-02T10:30
After the discovery of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, so many people had to come up with Plan B in terms of their travel plans. That would mean cancellations for everything one might have prep...
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This is how to NOT do Black Friday from 2021-11-25T09:43
With Black Friday on everyone's lips, it's everywhere on radio and television and on our phones, it is easy to be swept up by the hype. Consumer journalist, Wendy Knowler shares some valuable info...
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What if your wedding photographer sells your pictures as stock footage? from 2021-11-18T09:27
This question comes after a wedding picture went viral on Twitter as it was included on the FNB website. But who really owns the photograph here? Is the people who bride and his husband or the pho...
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What’s to stop teenagers from having booze delivered to them, via an app? - Wendy Knowler from 2021-11-11T09:38
Wendy Knowler is arguably South Africa’s most experienced consumer journalist. She’s helped more consumers over her 20 year career in consumer journalism than she could count. But while known as a ...
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Got a Kulula or British Airways credit? End of November, use it or lose it from 2021-11-04T09:33
Wendy Knowler is arguably South Africa’s most experienced consumer journalist. She’s helped more consumers over her 20 year career in consumer journalism than she could count. But while known as a ...
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All about the “confirm your Telkom directory listing"scam from 2021-10-28T11:04
Wendy Knowler is arguably South Africa’s most experienced consumer journalist. She’s helped more consumers over her 20 year career in consumer journalism than she could count. But while known as a ...
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What if your shop was looted and you thought you had SASRIA cover, but you didn’t? from 2021-10-21T09:40
Wendy Knowler is arguably South Africa’s most experienced consumer journalist. She’s helped more consumers over her 20 year career in consumer journalism than she could count. But while known as a ...
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What's the story with the Woolworths rotten juice boxes? from 2021-10-14T09:41
Wendy Knowler is arguably South Africa’s most experienced consumer journalist. She’s helped more consumers over her 20 year career in consumer journalism than she could count. But while known as a ...
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Can a company refuse to compensate you for loss or injury? from 2021-09-30T09:30
Wendy Knowler is arguably South Africa’s most experienced consumer journalist. She’s helped more consumers over her 20 year career in consumer journalism than she could count. But while known as a ...
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Beware the non existent puppy scam, says Consumerwatch’s Wendy Knowler from 2021-09-23T09:19
Here is some advice on how to spot a pet scam. The pet scam is by no means new, but a significant number of South Africans are still falling for it. If you type “husky breeder” or “maine coon kitte...
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How to avoid being scammed - Wendy Knowler from 2021-09-09T09:30
Shopping on the world wide web is very dangerous business, more dangerous than many realise. Too many get caught in the web because they’re too trusting of a good looking website or a great price. ...
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Uber and their cancellation penalty from 2021-09-02T14:40
Wendy Knowler is arguably South Africa’s most experienced consumer journalist. She’s helped more consumers over her 20 year career in consumer journalism than she could count. But while known as a ...
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Not all the appliances which were stolen from shops were new, some were in for repairs. from 2021-08-26T09:27
Wendy Knowler is arguably South Africa’s most experienced consumer journalist. She’s helped more consumers over her 20 year career in consumer journalism than she could count. But while known as a ...
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Are funeral policy increases killing your budget? Wendy Knowler advises from 2021-08-19T09:30
Hollard said it had to implement a second premium increase as result of mortality experience exceeding expected experience across our entire funeral portfolio, over a period of more than a year. I...
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Scammers using Capitec bank accounts as so-called business accounts from 2021-08-12T09:25
Fraudster pay so-called money mules to open bank accounts, and when the victims’ money lands in that new account, they transfer it to the fraudster, thereby ensuring that the fraudster remains untr...
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Flights suspended and Mango communications is vrot, says Consumerwatch’s WENDY KNOWLER from 2021-07-29T10:26
It’s not been a great week for Mango Airlines and its ticket-holding passengers are feeling the pain - again. On Monday the SAA subsidiary announced that it was going to go into business rescue and...
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Is there an unreasonable increase on the prices of goods after the looting in KZN? from 2021-07-22T09:00
It is called price gouging and if you can prove it if, here’s what to do As the people of this province know all too well, last week’s extraordinary looting of not only supermarkets but their dist...
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How to - Insurance after looting from 2021-07-15T09:28
If you have car and household contents insurance cover, then a tiny part of your monthly premium is paid every month by your insurer to Sasria, a government-owned insurer providing cover against ri...
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Critical online shopping advice by Wendy Knowler from 2021-07-08T09:28
Seeing is believing - but seeing on a computer screen can be tricky When buying goods on line you always run the risk of being unpleasantly surprised when they are delivered. Going by photos and d...
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Get your full refund back as events are cancelled in alert level 4 lockdown from 2021-07-01T10:01
One hotel said it’s closing for two weeks and no, the family couldn’t get a refund of their deposit because they don’t have the money. Just like that. Now the crucial issue is that while last week ...
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Event cancellations often lead to conflict between consumers and service providers from 2021-06-24T12:42
Wendy Knowler is arguably South Africa’s most experienced consumer journalist. She’s helped more consumers over her 20 year career in consumer journalism than she could count. But while known as a ...
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Your insurance policy does not get invalidated once you get vaccinated from 2021-06-18T04:03
Wendy Knowler is arguably South Africa’s most experienced consumer journalist. She’s helped more consumers over her 20 year career in consumer journalism than she could count. But while known as a ...
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Edgars accounts' chaos: A 'how to' checklist for the closure procedure from 2021-06-10T09:31
Never say die - those accounts that defy closure In last week’s Consumerwatch we talked about the many Edgars account holders who’ve been battling for quite some time to close their accounts - in...
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Masterclass on retail accounts by Wendy Knowler - An invitation to tune in on Darren, Keri and Sky from 2021-06-08T11:35
There has been an usually large number of people interacting with the Edgars blog that I uploaded regarding how to close your Edgars account or fix the unfair 'extra' charges' charged even without ...
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Edgars accountholders are among SA’s most frustrated consumers right now, says Wendy Knowler from 2021-06-03T11:20
The hardest goodbye I continue to get a steady stream of complaints from Edgars customers, most about battling to close their accounts, and some about battling to stop the extra charges or interest...
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Easier cash deposits and all about car jamming. from 2021-05-20T13:06
Got quite a bit of cash to deposit? You’ll pay less in fees if you do it at the supermarket, says Consumerwatch’s Wendy Knowler. That’s provided you’re depositing larger amounts - R1200 or more. F...
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Bank notification SMS: How to know when it's a scam from 2021-05-13T09:49
Could those SMS bank notifications be false security? The Ombudsman for Banking Services of SA released its 2020 annual report yesterday, revealing that fraud cases dominated the five top complain...
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"Minimum card swipe is a lie", Wendy Knowler explains why from 2021-05-06T10:38
Don’t let a retailer charge you extra for card payments, or dictate how much you must spend, says Wendy Knowler in this week’s Consumerwatch. IT’S ILLEGAL! Wendy also shares: What your car colour...
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Which industries are exploiting you right now? Wendy Knowler shares this classified information. from 2021-04-29T09:35
Overzealous regular sanitising of workplaces and schools is totally unwarranted. You get the coronavirus from breathing, not touching, says top health body, as Consumerwatch’s Wendy Knowler reveale...
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Beauty products looking way too high for you? Wendy Knowler advices on this and shares more about car purchases. from 2021-04-22T09:45
In this week's Consumerwatch, Wendy Knowler shares with consumers ways to go about spotting and avoiding beauty products that are too promising. She also sheds light regarding the "on the road" (OT...
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Buying a bed? Don’t be caught napping, says Wendy Knowler from 2021-04-15T07:44
Do your homework - on the bed and the retailer - before you commit. Never has it been more important to do your research on a company before doing business with it. Check how they handle complaints...
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Paying your utility bill at a supermarket? Best you check the numbers says Wendy Knowler from 2021-04-08T02:23
I often warn people to check, check and check again when making payments via EFT or at an ATM. Choose the wrong beneficiary or transpose an account number and your money will end up as an unintent...
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Wendy Knowler explains what could go wrong when selling your car on consignment from 2021-04-01T03:48
In early December, Keryn Harrison gave her 2008 Mini Cooper S to KZN Cars in Pinetown to sell on consignment - it was agreed she would be paid R75,000. In late January, the dealership told her she...
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How can you tell if that Gumtree buyer is actually a crook? Wendy Knowler has the details from 2021-03-25T06:14
By getting clued up on their tricks, says Consumerwatch’s Wendy Knowler If you’ve got electronics - cellphone, laptop - or a generator to sell, it is sure to be snapped up by a buyer on Gumtree or ...
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The new normal is…there is no normal from 2021-03-18T08:21
If you have a bottle of shampoo labelled as being for “normal” hair, it could soon become a relic of a bygone age. Normal is a problematic word. What’s normal, and who decides what is? Because the ...
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The big Salt and Vinegar tease from 2021-03-11T04:32
It’s a very curious story. Lay’s marketing director Agnes Kitololo said recently that the brand had listened to its customers, “so we wanted to give them another chance to indulge in this exception...
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Nil by Mouth (except water): Wendy Knowler explains why food on flights is done from 2021-03-04T08:50
South Africa has returned to level one lockdown, and while some restrictions have been lifted and things have been becoming more relaxed, it seems like one industry has now been hit with new constr...
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Wendy Knowler delves into why the cruise industry is sinking from 2021-02-25T08:16
It’s been a year of pain for cruiseliner operators and their passengers. Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) announced a few days ago that it has canceled its 2020/2021 cruise season. Voyages for ...
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Identity theft is up by a massive 337% and Wendy Knowler explains why from 2021-02-25T04:20
Identity theft is no joke! Here's a not-so-fun fact: fraudsters had a field day in 2020 with so many people working from home, sending sensitive information across servers that don’t have the same ...
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Car Payments: Are you keeping track? Wendy Knowler weighs in from 2021-02-18T08:57
Tracking contracts are easy to get into but harder to get out of. It may seem like a good idea to sign a three-year tracking contract for your car and avoid the upfront payment of the tracking devi...
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Proudly Durban company, PayJustNow, is here to help you with your credit dilemma! from 2021-02-11T08:48
You need credit to get credit but you don't want credit, at the end of the day the credit cycle can be confusing and difficult to navigate, but Wendy Knowler is here to help! Wendy says that this i...
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Travel operators have made some big changes to their penalty fees! from 2021-02-11T07:53
The travel industry, from its knees, is busy introducing the kind of flexibility into its fares that we would all have loved and appreciated all these years. Last month British Airways (operated by...
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Booked your wedding but now the venue is closing? Wendy has some advice to help you out from 2021-02-04T08:12
The Hilton Durban Hotel closed its doors last month, another COVID-19 casualty, and one of 1000 Hilton hotels to close since the start of the pandemic. Jan Van Der Putten, who is Hilton’s Vice Pre...
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Wendy Knowler on why bigger local instituitions like Greyhound are having to close from 2021-02-04T03:12
While the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying regulations have put businesses like Citiliner, Greyhound, Musica, and more in danger, it was only contributing to escalating the inevitable. People...
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On-the-road fees latest: Wendy explains from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
It's off with the on-the-road fee, says the Credit Regulator. Wendy Knowler has the details for Consumerwatch...
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More recycling bag woes for Durban, nurdles wash upon Durban beach from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
In a recent show we discussed the shortage of orange bags due to a dispute between the municipality and the makers of those bags; now there’s a new problem, thanks to the monster storm of March 10.
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Customer ring taken in jewellery store armed robbery - her bad luck? from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
If a store is robbed and something that belongs to you - that they had in their possession at the time, for whatever reason, gets stolen - is the company responsible for compensating you? Take a l...
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Durban storm insurance and delayed flight implications from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
Two days after KZN’s Big Storm it’s the insurance company claims which are telling the story of those eight hours of total mayhem on Tuesday 10th October, 2017.
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21 ways to become a clued-up consumer from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
In honour of East Coast Radio’s 21st birthday, Consumerwatch gives you 21 habits of a savvy consumer. Here's Wendy Knowler...
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Why you should care about the cost of car parts from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
If you’re in the market for a new set of wheels, you should care - a lot - about how the cost of the parts for the cars your wish list compare, because the parts costs has a major effect on the ove...
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No, it's not Telkom calling... from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
So in 2015 there was Directories Services 2 which had businesses thinking they were just confirming or updating their white and yellow pages entries - and then demanding R7200 from them for some ob...
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R300 restaurant corkage legal? from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
What’s a reasonable amount for a restaurant to charge as a corkage fee on a bottle of champagne? Well, a Durban family wasn’t expecting it to be R300 on a single bottle, which came a surprise on th...
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Expiry dates, sugar intake and other food lessons from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
Wendy Knowler has been at an International Food conference in Cape Town - and reports on the highlights.
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KUGA LATEST: Still more fires, & yet another recall from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
The most explosive automotive story in decades keeps producing plot lines few would have imagined possible a year ago.
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Moving house? Wendy on protecting goods from damage from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
What rights do you have if a removals company damages or loses your precious possessions? Wendy Knowler has more in today's ECR Consumerwatch.
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Consumer crunch time: recession is biting from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
Tough economic times are seeing a change in consumer buying patterns - shopping online, switching brands and buying in smaller quantities. More with Wendy Knowler on Consumerwatch today.
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Bread and butter issues + Durban's orange recycling bags from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
Last week’s Consumerwatch was all about the butter shortage and its hellishly high price, and this week Wendy Knowler is focusing on bread. She also has the latest on the eThekwini municipality's o...
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Price of butter leaves bitter taste from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
The price of butter is skyrocketing, not just in South Africa, but globally. Wendy Knowler picks up the story in today's ECR Consumerwatch...
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Are customer body searches lawful? from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
When is it okay for a security officer appointed by a retail store to body search a customer? ECR Consumerwatch's Wendy Knowler chats to a Durban customer, Mooceda Mthini of Chatsworth, about her u...
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Time to tell all, timeshare owners from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
The National Consumer Commission is conducting public hearings around the country, and hard-done-by timeshare consumers are invited to tell their stories, in person, with a view to coming up with a...
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Want your gift? Pay up from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393
The days of being sent a gift via airmail post from overseas and collecting it from your nearest post office without having to pay a cent are over. More with ECR Consumerwatch's Wendy Knowler on wh...
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Battling to close your Edgars account? Wendy Knowler says you're not alone from 2021-01-28T09:33
Carol Fourie’s experience in trying to close her Edgars account is shared by many others. She wrote: "I have had numerous calls from Edgars/RCS agents since last year regarding non-payment on my a...
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Wendy Knowler pays tribute to Durban man who exposed the cost of cars' spare parts from 2021-01-28T09:23
Malcolm Kinsey, a legend in South African motoring circles, and the man behind the Kinsey Report which exposed car parts prices for the past 30 years and kept the manufacturers in check, died last ...
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Skyrocketing ginger prices&special tenant rights from 2021-01-21T09:41
In this, the first Consumerwatch feature of 2021, Wendy Knowler reveals why the price of ginger has skyrocketed, and why the government’s Disaster Management Act regulation preventing landlords fro...
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Students' safety compromised and trip cancellations - Wendy Knowler investigates from 2020-12-17T09:32
It’s Christmas time and we’re experiencing a second wave of coronavirus infections. Not a great combo. Quite a few people have voiced their concerns to Wendy about employees in shops and restaurant...
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Dealership fees&other extras mandatory on your car deal? Nonsense! from 2020-12-10T09:29
Recently Tim shared with Wendy Knowler email correspondence he had with a salesman at the Honda & Suzuki dealership in Pinetown, part of the massive CMH dealership group.The salesman told him in an...
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Wendy Knowler offers solutions to Keri Miller’s municipal bill issues from 2020-12-03T09:10
Keri Miller was unexpectedly pushed into a tight budget this December after receiving a letter from the Municipality to settle a very big electricity bill, lest her lights are cut out by the 7th of...
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It never rains but it pours - best you get your roof checked out! from 2020-12-03T09:06
With the rainy season well underway in most parts of South Africa, the office of the Ombudsman for Short-Term Insurance is bracing itself for a spike in complaints from distressed homeowners whose ...
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Paid then, fly later... much later from 2020-11-26T09:29
The good news for those holding Kulula or British Airways tickets for domestic flights they couldn’t use during hard lockdown is they can use the value of those tickets towards new bookings on thos...
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Refunds for cancelled trips&a warning about bling cake décor: Wendy Knowler has some advice from 2020-11-19T10:00
Still battling to get a refund for your cancelled trip? You’re far from alone in that. Wendy Knowler's received a deluge of complaints from South Africans who've had their paid-for overseas trips c...
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Companies - get your own (throwaways) back! from 2020-11-12T09:18
FINALLY! Manufacturers will be forced to take responsibility for recovering their products or product packaging and getting it recycled. From cardboard boxes to electronic goods, lightbulbs, all fo...
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Road Accidents - what’s driving them? from 2020-11-05T09:19
So what category of vehicles are involved in most serious accidents on South African roads? If you said minibus taxis you’d be wrong. The answer, shared by Wendy Knowler in today’s Consumerwatch, w...
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About those extra costs on your store account... from 2020-10-29T09:45
In this week’s Consumerwatch, WENDY KNOWLER explains why so many people are battling to pay off their store accounts. All those extras - club fees, service fees, and fees for calling you about your...
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KEEPING SAFE - wise up to credit card fraud via phone&don’t wear a “no point” face mask from 2020-10-22T09:03
This week Wendy Knowler is wishing credit card holders would no longer fall for the phishing scam - that’s when fraudsters trick them divulging their banking details over the phone, by pretending t...
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Edgars: this week’s drama for accountholders is an interest-related bill shock from 2020-10-15T09:22
Last week, Edgars hastily reinstated its 6-months interest-free account plan after announcing it was scrapping it just days before. This week, a “valued customers” got another interest shock - doub...
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New Edgars owners feel the heat + what is up with J&J’s baby wipes? from 2020-10-08T10:06
The company which recently bought the 91-year-old retail chain Edgars decided it would be a good idea to scrap the six-month interest-free account plan, but its accountholders were having none of t...
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FlySafair adopts zero tolerance re mask dodgers from 2020-09-24T09:00
FlySafair has adopted a zero tolerance policy regarding mask dodgers on its flights from this week. This after Wendy Knowler raised the issue after experiencing, first-hand, cases on recent flights...
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Dos and don'ts when flying&a follow up on the gym debacle from 2020-09-17T09:25
It’s been a very hot topic throughout lockdown - how the various gym companies treated their clients during the five months they were unable to open. So Wendy Knowler did a follow-up on contract ca...
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Drink on this - it wasn’t glass after all from 2020-09-10T10:00
The surprising result of lab tests on the “glass” found in Liquifruit red grape juice cans, and what the Consumer Goods and Services Ombudsman thinks of what some gyms have been doing with their me...
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Social distancing on the plane&gym contract disputes: KZN asks Wendy Knowler from 2020-09-03T09:16
Is it legal for airplane companies to have flights packed to capacity? What do you do if you want to terminate your gym contract because you do not feel safe? How do you deal with event argonisers ...
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Non-paying tenant and mounting interest on a debt - Wendy Knowler wades in from 2020-08-27T09:18
Banks are morally required to be sympathetic towards vulnerable customers which are; financially illiterate, old or sick. But what happens when you are unemployed because of COVID-19 and even thoug...
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Can you be charged for early settlement of your loan? from 2020-08-20T09:54
The scathing truth is that although we are advised to pay off our debt earlier than our agreement with our lender, some of us will incur penalties for settling our debt early, which forces us to ma...
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You might be paying decade-old cellphone insurance! Wendy Knowler can help from 2020-08-13T09:31
This week Wendy Knowler took the opportunity to cover some of the most asked questions she received on social media. Many consumers are unaware that they are paying insurance on cellphones they hav...
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Electricity bills and rental disputes - Wendy Knowler gives her advice from 2020-08-06T09:24
Can the municipality demand full immediate payment for electricity usage they neglected to bill for during the previous two years? Can landlords and rental agents insist on a two-month notice perio...
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Companies behaving badly - Wendy Knowler weighs in from 2020-07-30T09:13
Gyms that are still debiting members’ bank accounts while gyms remain closed during lockdown; a cruise company refuses to refund a family for their cruise which the company was forced to cancel bec...
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Pricey pineapples, expiring licences and provident funds from 2020-07-23T08:47
With the many financial changes that have been brought about by the Coronavirus pandemic, employees have had their eyes opened to the corruption that their employers have been involved in. Wendy Kn...
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Why are Clover milk bottles blue all of a sudden? KZN asks Wendy Knowler from 2020-07-17T08:19
What is up with all these blue Clover milk bottles? ECR Consumerwatch's Wendy Knowler sheds light on the topic - as well as on other questions asked in our latest round of Consumerwatch QnA Live, o...
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Can a landlord kick you out during lockdown? Wendy Knowler weighs in from 2020-07-09T10:20
This week on ECR Consumerwatch we gave you the opportunity to ask Wendy Knowler any consumer questions you may have. As the expert, she gives advice on landlord and tenant disputes; the no-return a...
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Wendy Knowler investigates business interruption insurance claim rejections from 2020-07-02T08:49
In this edition of Consumerwatch, Wendy Knowler investigates business interruption insurance payouts during lockdown and why insurance providers have been rejecting claims.
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Consumerwatch: How to avoid a scam when buying or selling online - Part 1 from 2020-06-25T10:11
Here’s how to protect yourself, writes Wendy Knowler.
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Consumerwatch: How to avoid a scam when buying or selling online Part 2 from 2020-06-25T09:15
Here’s how to protect yourself, writes Wendy Knowler.
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Why are those bags so rubbish? from 2020-06-18T07:16
How is it that Durban homeowners are being saddled with black refuse bags which are poor quality to the point of ripping and/or the wrong size? Wendy Knowler tried to find out.
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Online buying and deliveries from 2020-06-11T09:35
Wendy Knowler speaks on miscommunication when it comes to delivering of your items
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The truth about disinfect tunnels from 2020-06-04T06:50
Tunnel vision - disinfectant tunnels continue to be erected in transport hubs, schools and residential estates, despite growing warnings - from very high places - that they are ineffective and unsafe.
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Churches reopening and over sanitizing from 2020-05-28T09:07
Wendy Knowler discusses the regulations under Level 3 Lockdown.
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Returning items during the lockdown period from 2020-05-21T07:41
Returns policies - new lockdown polices apply. So it’s a case of buyer beware, warns Wendy Knowler
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Shopping for specific items in lockdown explained from 2020-05-14T09:31
What to buy? New government regulations aim for function over style, says Wendy Knowler.
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Clothing, fees, and selling and buying cars from 2020-05-07T10:01
So you can buy winter clothing now, but you can’t try anything on first - is that legal? Your daughter’s ballet teacher is demanding full payment of her fees, 40 days into lockdown - what are your ...
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"Can I move on Friday?" from 2020-04-30T09:39
Friday is the 1st of the month, traditional moving day, May 1 is also Worker’s Day, marked this year by milions of workers being unable to work, and, of course it’s the day we move from level 5 loc...
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Pay now, enjoy later from 2020-04-23T09:31
Missing your local restaurant, pub or neighbourhood business and wondering how if they going to survive lockdown? There’s a way to help, says Wendy Knowler
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What if your warranty expires during lockdown? from 2020-04-16T10:11
Expiring warranties travel cancellation compensation and the dangers of home brewing - Wendy Knowler gives the lowdown on the latest lockdown consumer news.
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Paying your bills, but there's no income from 2020-04-09T09:35
Wendy Knowler looks at what the various insurers are offering their clients in terms of relief during this time of lockdown…
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Coronavirus: Essential services during the lockdown from 2020-04-01T18:43
One of the main conversations which this extraordinary lockdown situation has led to is: what is an essential service?
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COVID-19 - are you covered if you want to cancel your overseas trip? from 2020-03-05T10:07
COVID 19, commonly referred to as the corona virus, is causing major havoc in the travel industry: international conferences are being cancelled, and flights to many destinations are being cancelle...
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How prepared are you for when the lights come back on? from 2020-02-20T08:53
It’s annoying when the power gets cut during “load shedding”, but it’s when it comes back on that our precious appliances and electronics are most at risk, says Wendy Knowler
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What if your Valentine's Day flowers are delivered late? from 2020-02-13T09:29
For florists, Valentine’s Day is their Black Friday and Christmas all rolled into one. There’s big money to be made, but the risk of reputational damage for service delivery fails is also massive. ...
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Cracked TV: Who is responsible? from 2020-02-06T09:24
If you buy a new TV and when you remove the packaging at home, you discover the screen is cracked, who is responsible? Well, that depends. Best to get clued up on how to avoid such a horror show in...
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What to do with an excessive municipal bill? from 2020-01-30T09:25
What do you do if you open your municipal bill and discover you’re being asked to pay ten times your usual monthly amount, because you’ve been using a massive amount of water for the past two months?
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How dare you? from 2020-01-23T09:20
Wendy Knowler asks what it’s going to take to nab the airport baggage handlers who can’t keep their hands off our stuff...
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Return of the original Rice Krispies from 2020-01-09T09:49
Not being a commercial breakfast cereal kind of person, I didn’t realise quite how many South Africans felt really strongly about their Rice Krispies until about 18 months ago when Kellogg SA repla...
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Got a garnishee? You’ve been overpaying, says Wendy from 2019-12-19T13:23
Friday the 13th of December was anything but unlucky for the more than a million South Africans whose take-home is reduced every month because of garnishee orders. What a Western Cape judge had to ...
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Credit Card agreements during the festive season from 2019-12-12T09:22
If you’ve got debit order agreements with various companies, there’s a good chance that some of them will take their money from your bank account early next week instead of at month-end date, as us...
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How big was that saving really? from 2019-12-05T09:11
So you saved 60% on a new gizmo on Black Friday - fabulous. But did you really? 60% off which price?
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Surviving Black Friday from 2019-11-28T10:21
If FOMO sees you partaking in the spend-fest, says Wendy Knowler, here’s how to get the most of out it
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There’s a body in the passage from 2019-11-21T09:14
A KZN family’s funeral policy claim has thrown a spotlight on the way that industry handles its policyholders claims in their hour of need.
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If the cap doesn’t fit, you have no right of return at all from 2019-11-14T08:40
Most South Africans seem to have got the idea that the Consumer Protection Act entitles them to demand a refund if they want to return something they’ve bought - for whatever reason.
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No more free ride for your golf clubs on SAA from 2019-11-07T09:05
Up to now, South African Airways has allowed its passengers to check in a bag or suitcase plus certain sports gear, including bikes, golf clubs, horse saddles, and sailing equipment, at no extra ch...
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Wendy Knowler on Vodacom data scam WhatsApp alert from 2019-10-25T09:17
A voice note supposedly released by a policeman, who warns about a new scam, has resurfaced. The man claims that criminals are targeting people outside shops with a scam data competition, only to s...
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Want to whinge about a company on social media? Here’s what not to do from 2019-10-24T11:21
Want to whinge about a company on social media? Here’s what not to do, writes Wendy Knowler...
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What if you don't get your visa? Wendy Knowler investigates from 2019-10-17T12:58
On Consumerwatch this week, Wendy Knowler warns about the cost of having a travel visa denied, and cautions companies about going into victim mode when they’ve failed their customers.
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Watch out: no service, no warranty from 2019-10-10T09:36
On Consumerwatch this week, Wendy’s Watch Out for consumers focuses on the harsh consequences on missing a service of your car, and on ShopTalk, she cautions companies on compounding a mistake with...
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Wendy looks at Vodacom cell contracts + shares two personal bugbears from 2019-10-03T12:06
In today's Consumerwatch, Wendy Knowler looks at two cases of somewhat misleading cellphone contracts with Vodacom that locked in two consumers for longer than they'd bargained on. Vodacom has sinc...
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You have no legal right to return clothes that don’t fit you from 2019-09-19T10:30
Are you one of those people who grabs an item of clothing off the rail and buys it without trying it on? Who’s got the time or inclination to face those changing rooms, right? Well, best you do and...
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Finger Trouble at Woolies + Social Media advice for businesses from 2019-09-12T12:40
In today's Consumerwatch, Wendy Knowler reports on a spot of finger trouble at Woolworths, while in part 2, she asks the important question of business: Why do brands have social media accounts whe...
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Are you on shaky ground with your house insurance? from 2019-09-05T10:17
Many people think they’re covered if their home were to be damaged in a storm, only to find out at claim time that they aren’t. On Consumerwatch this week, Wendy Knowler shares the final installmen...
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Spare a thought when buying a car from 2019-08-29T10:40
When you are negotiating the purchase of a used car, Wendy Knowler says always ask to see three things: the service book, the spare wheel, and the spare key.
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Update edition: gift vouchers and insurance claims for flood damaged walls from 2019-08-22T12:11
This week Wendy Knowler brought us updates on the past two ECR Consumerwatch shows.
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Flood damage? You could well be on your own from 2019-08-15T09:30
First their boundary wall collapsed in a devastating storm, and then this Umlazi couple’s hopes of getting it rebuilt were dashed when their insurer rejected their claim. It wasn’t that fierce stor...
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A business closed, but what happens to your vouchers? from 2019-08-08T11:45
On Consumerwatch this week, Wendy Knowler focused on a Durban beauty spa which suddenly shut its doors having sold heaps of gift vouchers. They are now worth nothing. Or are they?
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Is it still stealing if you didn’t mean to? from 2019-08-01T11:16
It can’t be a crime if there was no intent but proving the lack of intent can be problematic, as you can imagine, says Wendy Knowler.
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So you've said no to the straw. Now what? from 2019-07-25T10:27
Demonising all plastic is misguided. Plastic remains an excellent form of packaging - cheap, strong, light - it's single-use plastic that’s not okay. The issue is that plastic - and particularly Po...
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A Drone Moan from 2019-07-11T09:33
What gives an online retailer the right to cancel a confirmed purchase?
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High Court outlaws banks’ controversial money grabbing from 2019-07-04T09:23
For years, South Africa’s banks have taken it upon themselves - without warning - to grab money from their clients’ current accounts to settle their credit card debt, often leaving them with too li...
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Scam Tenders - a cautionary tale from 2019-06-27T09:00
This week’s Consumerwatch is a cautionary tale for small businesses. I’m very grateful to a Durban businesswoman for sharing her story with us in a bid to warn others. She'd found no warnings onlin...
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How costly are your car’s parts? from 2019-06-20T09:44
Here are a few reasons as to why you should care, says Wendy Knowler.
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Flooded then flogged as flawless from 2019-06-13T09:37
Wendy Knowler thought she’d heard it all in her 20 years of investigating dodgy car deals - but then came the flooded Fiat.
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Do you know your three green R’s? from 2019-06-06T08:13
Sparing our landfills requires all of us to re-think, re-use and recycle our packaging choices
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How safe is your child strapped into a car seat in the back? from 2019-05-30T09:38
If you don’t know your ESC from your ABS, you could be part of the reason why most of the non-premium cars sold in South Africa don’t have some basic, lifesaving safety features which have been leg...
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Holiday cancellations last minute, should you get your refund? from 2019-05-23T08:58
Last minute holiday cancellations, are you entitled to a refund of what you paid for their four-night stay, which was the full price?
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You break it, your waiter pays for it from 2019-05-16T09:00
As anyone who has every worked tables in a restaurant will know, waiters and waitresses are often on the receiving of some pretty unpalatable treatment at the hands of restaurant owners and managers.
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Forget phishing; 'vishing' is the new bank fraud threat from 2019-05-09T09:46
When was the last time you got a phishing email? In my case, that was many, many months ago.
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Ombud warns consumers about 5 online retailers from 2019-05-02T09:54
When a company takes a customer’s money and promises to deliver the goods a few weeks later, and then fails to do so - for many months, refuses to refund them, and then ignores them, they’re asking...
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If things fall apart - are you covered? from 2019-04-25T10:50
The short-term insurance industry is no doubt bracing itself for a flood of flood-related damage claims from the people of Durban after the monster storm of Monday night and Tuesday. Wendy Knowler ...
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What’s your data privacy worth to you? from 2019-04-18T09:22
Do you value your ID number, employment history, address, relationship status, cellphone number and email address enough to stop people who don’t have a legitimate right to it from accessing it?
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On-the-road fees - what are they costing you? from 2019-04-11T11:41
Wendy Knowler discusses the on-the-road fees which are back in the news. But how significant are they?
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World Consumer Rights Day - Do we have cause for celebration in SA? from 2019-03-14T09:34
The Consumer Protection Act makes us among the most protected consumers in the world, in theory. But rights are worthless if there are no consequences when service providers deny us those rights. F...
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Extended warranty - sign up or lose out from 2019-03-07T09:56
There are warranties, and then there are warranties - says Wendy Knowler. The best one is the Consumer Protection Act automatically bestows on everything you buy - it’s for SIX MONTHS, irrespective...
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The new cellphone data regulations in a nutshell from 2019-02-28T11:31
From 1 March 2019, the on-off data regulations will finally be a reality. Wendy Knowler summarises what they mean for you and your data spend.
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Yay or nay to eating food past its best before date? from 2019-02-21T09:53
The idea that shelf-stable food such as biscuits, canned goods, cereals, maize meal, sauces and pasta goes from being perfectly okay up to the 'best before' date on the pack to 'rotten,' 'off', 'to...
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Sold your house for a bomb from 2019-02-14T09:11
You could get a surprise retro rates bill, warns Wendy Knowler.
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You call it forgetfulness; they call it theft from 2019-02-07T12:00
You call it forgetfulness; they call it theft. Wendy Knowler gives advice to shoppers to avoid accidental shoplifting.
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Cheep Trick: Local supermarket fakes expiry date on fresh chickens from 2019-01-31T09:41
Changing the 'sell-by' or 'use by' dates on a batch of fresh chicken is a shameful act - it is also illegal in terms of South Africa’s food labelling regulations.
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Love me, love my privacy from 2019-01-24T10:04
Who besides you knows your personal details, bank account details and passwords, enabling them to impersonate you, open and close accounts in your name and transact online, buying stuff and transfe...
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Wow service! Now for the fun stuff on Consumerwatch from 2018-12-13T10:34
Thanks to social media, consumer discontent confronts us everywhere - Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp groups - lots of grumpy, angry, frustrated consumers venting, naming and shaming. And yes, most of ...
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That “free” thing will cost you lots from 2018-12-06T15:46
The lure of free goodies has been used by marketers for generations to lure consumers in, and then get them to commit to paying - usually a lot - for anything from timeshare deals to vacuum cleaner...
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Open lines on ECR Consumerwatch from 2018-11-29T13:22
This week was our last episode of the year for Consumerwatch with Wendy Knowler, so we gave listeners a chance to speak to her about any consumer issue affecting them. Listen here...
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How to make Black Friday work for you from 2018-11-22T08:34
It’s the biggest retail day of the year and it gets bigger every year - more spend over more days.
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Salmonella cases in KZN: update from 2018-11-15T11:49
Following the recent salmonella cases in KwaZulu-Natal, Wendy Knowler gives us an update on the story in today's Consumerwatch.
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Forget what the car ads say - the truth is in the crash test from 2018-11-08T15:31
How outraged should we be about how four top selling South African cars did in the latest Global New Car Assessment crash test? Wendy Knowler investigates.
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Flight delays: How South African airlines compare from 2018-11-01T08:24
Anyone who flies regularly has experienced the frustration of flight delays. It can be utterly devastating - missed meetings, weddings, funerals, concerts, and connecting flights. Too often passeng...
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Laying down the lay-by law from 2018-10-25T12:13
Consumer-friendly CPA lay-by cancellation rules can make life tough for retailers, but they can’t do it their way, says Wendy Knowler.
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The contract that won’t let you go from 2018-10-18T09:30
No company likes to let a customer go, and in the past, many have come up with policies which make it incredibly difficult for you to cancel. Such as - if you don’t cancel your three-year contract ...
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South Africa’s listeriosis story - the plot thickens from 2018-10-11T11:33
South Africa’s recent listeriosis outbreak may have come to an end following an official toll of 1,086 confirmed cases and 218 deaths - 21 of them in KZN - but the story is far from over.
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Orange bags: Best you buy your own from 2018-10-04T08:40
The Orange Bag recycling project started off as a big moment for the city. Durban Solid Waste (DSW) showed the rest of the country’s large municipal waste departments the way by providing a mechani...
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Adding fuel to the fake fire - Part 2 from 2018-09-27T09:55
Social media gives we consumers a powerful voice; a means to expose how we’ve been wronged by companies; and to warn others of dodgy practices and rip offs. And you’re safe - legally - if what you ...
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Adding fuel to the fake fire - Part 1 from 2018-09-27T09:51
Social media gives we consumers a powerful voice; a means to expose how we’ve been wronged by companies; and to warn others of dodgy practices and rip offs. And you’re safe - legally - if what you ...
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Loyalty doesn’t pay when it comes to insurance from 2018-09-20T10:20
Far from it - and I speak from experience. Four years ago, I’d been with the same insurer for 17 years when I decided to do some comparative premium shopping and found out I’d been grossly overpaying.
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It’s official - Durban’s drivers are the dodgiest from 2018-09-13T09:00
It may be a smallish sample - Discovery Vitality members - but the way they’ve been driving the past two to three years reveals that Durbanites are the worst drivers.
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Wendy investigates food expiry dates: Use By vs Best By from 2018-09-06T09:00
It’s been a confusing week on the food safety front.. first the police and health officials are raiding foreign owned shops and confiscating their rice, cool drinks and maize meal for being past th...
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New, ‘improved' Rice Krispies make consumers snap from 2018-08-30T09:32
The Rice Krispies fans are cross, very very cross! Without warning, Kellogg’s totally changed the recipe for those Krispies - and the Coco and Strawberry Pops, too - and consumers are so not loving...
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Whey Overstated from 2018-08-23T10:52
Read labels, the experts say - that’s the only way to make an informed buying choices.
But what if the labels are misleading, as we’ve seen with the recent honey scandal, the fish mislabel...
Hey big spender - now you’re an importer from 2018-08-16T12:12
Ecommerce is exploding in South Africa and many people, having had good experiences with local sites, are sampling the delights of overseas-based retail sites. But there is a new pitfall as one con...
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Wendy explains 'Pink Tax' from 2018-08-09T09:30
Wendy Knowler tackles a new term that's become very relevant today. Find out more on what Pink Tax really is.
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Unappetising foreign objects in food - What are your rights? from 2018-08-02T14:02
In this week's Consumerwatch, Wendy Knowler looks at what rights consumers have after discovering foreign objects in their food. Knowler takes up Samuel's case who found an electrical wire while he...
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Burning Audi's? from 2018-07-26T09:46
This week on Consumer Watch, Wendy chats about the 'burning audi' that's making the rounds on social media.
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Theft by radio waves? from 2018-07-19T09:00
Is RFID “contactless” card theft possible? Wendy Knowler found out.
Whether you know it or not, if you have a credit card, it is most likely an RFID one - that it is it has Radio Frequency ID, ...
Plastic is not so fantastic on a cupcake from 2018-07-12T10:03
There’s no gentle way to say this, cake lovers - that shimmering, glamorous, brightly coloured glitter has no place on cake icing - it’s plastic and shouldn’t be eaten.
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Durban tenant’s light bulb moment from 2018-06-28T08:30
So why would a tenant ask the rental agency to send a maintenance person round to change her lightbulb? Surely she should have expected to pay a call-out fee if she got someone in to do that for her?
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Cyber criminals take the Liberty of helping themselves to client info from 2018-06-21T10:03
So how worried should we be about the Liberty cyber hack? Wendy Knowler wades in on that Hack.
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Plastic can be fantastic - if it's recyclable from 2018-06-14T11:21
“Outlawing” the plastic straw is a great contribution to global efforts to arrest our single-use plastic habit, but clearly, it shouldn’t end there.
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Wake me up before you Viagogo from 2018-05-31T09:00
If you go into a search engine and type “Sharks vs Lions game, June 30” or “Disney on Ice, ICC” rather than going to a specific site such as Computicket or Ticketpro, the top result you’re likely t...
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Do you really know where that invoice has come from? from 2018-05-24T09:00
In case you missed last month’s show and because you really can’t afford to know about this newish scam, we’re returning to the issue of the havoc fraudsters are causing by hacking into company’s e...
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Is a “no refund” policy on deposits legal? from 2018-05-17T08:45
Wendy Knowler tackles service providers such as wedding photographers, caterers etc that require a non-refundable deposit up front. Is this allowed? What happens if you need to make a cancellation?
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Oh boy! Wendy tackles the latest processed cheese problem from 2018-05-10T10:45
Given what we now know about how the Listeriosis outbreak happened, South Africans are understandably a little jittery about processed food and the conditions under which it's produced. You’d think...
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Cellphone data new regulations: Wendy has the good & the bad from 2018-05-03T10:49
There’s both good news and bad news in the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa’s (Icasa) new regulations relating to cellphone data. Wendy and the team dig deeper into the matter.
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Wendy Knowler’s lowdown on lay-by from 2018-04-19T11:19
Lay-by is a consumer-friendly way to buy items should you not have enough cash to buy outright. Wendy Knowler chats to a consumer who was denied his deposit when wanting to retract his lay-by deal.
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ECR Consumerwatch: Troubles at Telkom from 2018-04-12T09:00
Have you ever been billed even after you’ve cancelled your Telkom account?
What do you do when you order a phone and when it arrives it’s not the phone you ordered? Wendy Knowler answers all o...
#MoneyMatters with Wendy from 2018-03-29T08:30
Wendy talks money matters and VAT increases. It might be wise to take a listen to this.
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The latest on the listeriosis crisis (22 March) from 2018-03-22T10:55
As the listeriosis crisis continues to grip the nation, and more products are being withdrawn from sale, many people have become really paranoid about what they can and can’t eat. And understandabl...
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The secret’s out - this weight-loss product is illegal from 2018-03-15T10:33
It's International Consumer Rights Day, and this year’s theme is making the digital marketplace fairer for consumers. There’s a particular product, a weight-loss product being sold online in South ...
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Listeriosis crisis: Wendy speaks to a survivor from 2018-03-08T10:17
This time last week, millions of South Africans were buying and consuming polony and other ready-to-eat cold meats as usual. All that changed on Sunday with the Health Minister’s announcement that ...
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Store club fees - time to opt out? from 2018-03-01T09:07
Do you know how much you're spending on membership fees for a store account? Are you benefitting at all from the payment? Consumerwatch's Wendy Knowler chats to a Toti resident who has had an accou...
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How to avoid appliance repair rip-offs from 2018-02-22T10:42
Getting an appliance repaired is a leap of faith. In today's Consumerwatch -
Wendy Knowler investigates a case of a Durban couple who sent their freezer in for repairs and the repairers didn't...
The listeriosis crisis goes from bad to worse from 2018-02-15T12:16
New listeriosis figures released by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases late yesterday paint an even grimmer picture of South Africa’s listeriosis crisis. More with Consumerwatch's Wen...
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Rental deposit conflict between Tenant and Landlord from 2018-02-08T09:27
No exit inspection, no rental deposit deduction. The refunding of rental deposits is a massive cause of conflict between tenants and landlords.
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How to spot, tackle an unauthorised debit order from 2018-02-01T10:27
With many consumers agreeing to deals over the phone, the recording of that call serves as the proof or “mandate” should the consumer dispute a debit order on their account. In today;s Consumerwatc...
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Do loyalty points, gift vouchers expire? from 2018-01-25T11:18
Millions of South Africans have come to depend heavily on loyalty programmes, many using their points to buy essentials - groceries, pre-paid electricity and fuel - while others save them for spoils.
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Wendy warns of current work from home scams from 2018-01-18T10:54
Employment is hard to come by and the recent 'work from home' scams seem to be getting the better of many of us, writes Wendy Knowler.
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Listeriosis - a crisis with a mystery source from 2018-01-11T11:02
South Africa’s listeriosis crisis been coming on for a while - the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) has been tracking the cases for the past year, and keeping very quiet about it....
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Referral selling: Is it legal to share your contacts' details? from 2017-12-14T11:05
Do we have the right to “sell” the details of our friends and family members. Wendy Knowler finds out in today's Consumerwatch.
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Direct Marketing: What you need to know about refunds, returns from 2017-12-07T11:00
Direct marketing is a direct approach from a marketer - it’s personal, targeted at you. Wendy Knowler tells consumers about what rights they have - when it comes to returns and refunds - after a pu...
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When all that glitters is stolen… from 2017-11-30T10:56
Here’s s a not-so-fun fact - KZN is the capital of jewellery store heists. So what happens if your precious heirloom is taken while at the store? Wendy Knowler has the details...
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Buying online, avoiding traffic and more Black Friday tips from 2017-11-23T12:02
Start your shopping hours earlier. That's one of the key pieces of advice Consumerwatch's Wendy Knowler shares in today's segment. The Black Friday frenzy kicks off from midnight on Friday.
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Making the best of Black Friday from 2017-11-16T10:56
Black Friday is next week, and if it seems to become a bigger deal in South Africa every year, that’s because it does. More with Consumerwatch's Wendy Knowler...
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