With many South Africans searching for ways to save money, unaccredited workshops are flourishing – posing even more of a threat to the industry than home-based workshops.
All MIWA members are expected to be fully compliant: VAT registered, registered with the Motor Industry Bargaining Council (MIBCO), and the Motor Industry Ombudsman (MIOSA). They are also expected to pay the municipal rates required to operate a light industrial business and must comply with all necessary health and safety regulations.
Workshops that don’t meet these standards are able to save on the associated fees and pass these savings on to consumers who often don’t know that their mechanics are cutting corners.
The problem, though, is that without any relationship to the necessary bodies, there is no onus on the workshop to uphold industry standards, and no one to call them to account. The consumer, therefore, has no recourse in the event of poor service.
This is bad news for the industry, which is affected by the poor reputation of these operators.
It is therefore critical to educate consumers about the importance of compliance and to raise the alert that there is a growing culture of non-compliance in the industry. This will, hopefully, encourage consumers to seek out compliant workshops. We are working hard on the consumer front to educate consumers on the benefits of using a compliant and accredited workshop.