V TOLLS – This battle is NOT over!

For those of you that don’t yet know, the National Consumer Commission has launched a 12 month investigation into the price increases implemented (within a very short space of time) by the 3 major cellular networks in South Africa.

“The NCC has, after receiving all requested information and after assessing all complaints in respect of the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act and its regulations, concluded that a reasonable basis exists to institute a full-scale investigation,” NCC spokesperson Trevor Hattingh.

The NCC received 32 complaints on this matter during that frenetic week in April and I am happy to say that my complaint was one of them!

I received an email from the NCC confirming that the complaint I lodged – complete with rebuttals to one of Vodacom’s legal representatives – was one of the 32 that tipped the scales for the NCC to launch their investigation.

But, I will not take all the credit here…I have to extend a deep and sincere ‘thank you’ to everyone that reposted and shared that orginal article  as by doing so, more than 75 000 people visited Joburg Truth and that article was shared more than 45 times on Social Media.

This is “Power To You” in action!

This result shows clearly that we, the consumers, truly do have the power when it comes to consumer and retail products and services.

Never before have we been able to mobilise and create pressure and groundswell support for issues like this (and others) in such a short space of time and with so many people getting involved.

Taking this to the next level  must be the belief that with enough people , we can change anything and by using our two most powerful weapons – our networks and our pockets – we can MAKE companies and governments PAY ATTENTION!

While our efforts here have created enough of a ripple to have the NCC sit up and take notice, I see that the networks have been rather quiet to respond.

This does not surprise me at all and I am sure that the boardrooms of “The 3 Bears” (Vodacom , MTN and Cell C) will have a fair share of bitten nail clippings lying on the floor as the 12 months investigation starts to draw to a close.

This investigation could have staggering  implications and consequences for all 3 networks, especially if the NCC concludes that this was not a fair practice!

Revenue losses would be in the billions!

Do I care?

No.

The truth is, the 3 Bears should never have even considered doing this in the first place!

E Tolls – the lesson NOT learned!

Despite the harsh lessons that SANRAL is still learning and the high cost they are paying for the lack of vision and integrity when it came to E TOLLS, the 3 Bears took no heed of this and simply proceeded to hike their rates NEVER considering the backlash it would create!

After E TOLLS, we consumers already had the fire of rebellion burning and this simply threw another petrol bomb on the fire!

Now, we simply have to apply this to every other aspect we are unhappy with , like corruption, high food prices, petrol prices and collusion of big business to manipulate consumers for profit!

More about these soon..

More importantly is that we , as the consumers of South Africa, MUST now realise that the TRUE POWER lies with us and like William Wallace , we must BELIEVE that we CAN WIN our battles against much bigger and more powerful opponents , using the one weapon to hit them where it really hurts – their bottom line!

Taking money away from the Fat Cats IS the only real way to make them sit up and pay attention and to start treating the people that give them their wealth and lifetstyle with the respect and integrity we all deserve.

And that’s the Joburg Truth.