The National Consumer Commission has yet again convened a meeting with Samsung Electronics South Africa to assess the company’s progress with recalling of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 mobile phone from the South African market.

Samsung last month notified the NCC in terms of Section 60 of the Consumer Protection Act that it was implementing a voluntary exchange programme to recover all devices that were sold to consumers locally as pre-launch purchases. At a subsequent meeting the company advised the NCC that it would also extend the voluntary exchange programme to consumers who may have acquired the device as parallel imports [overseas purchases].

At a meeting held on Tuesday 18 October 2016at the NCC’s new offices in Groenkloof Pretoria, Samsung advised the NCC that it has since intensified efforts to recover devices locally by amongst other things implementing a full on safety recall programme, placing a global airline ban on the device, as well as setting up of exchange zones locally at all international airports.

Speaking at the meeting NCC Commissioner Ebrahim Mohamed expressed his relief at the minimal spread of the device in the country.

Mohamed said that South African consumers are quite fortunate that the defect on the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was detected before it could be launched in the country.
“The use of defective and hazardous products, particularly those that are electronic and motorised in nature can have devastating consequences for consumers. The NCC is quite relieved that the mobile phone device was recalled before especially children who are prone to keep up with technology trends, could be exposed to its risks,” said Mohamed.

“The NCC has been made aware of the pre-launch sales that took place in the country, as well as the possibility that the device could have entered the country from overseas as parallel imports. We thus call upon all consumers with active Samsung Galaxy Note 7 mobile devices in the country to immediately stop using them, and to return them to the nearest Samsung distributor for a full monetary refund or value equivalent device exchange. Consumers can also contact Samsung Electronics for assistance on zaservice@samsung.com or 080 726  7864,” instructed Mohamed.

Mohamed said that the NCC was pleased thus far with Samsung’s cooperation and compliance with the Consumer Protection Act in respect of the safety recall, and that its investigations team was keeping a close eye on the matter.

The NCC is set to meet with Samsung again at the end of October to further monitor progress on the recall of the mobile device.

Issued by National Consumer Commission