South Africans who are need of a vehicle service, repairs, or looking for spares are in luck following the promulgation of regulations by Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel.
Alongside regulations for vehicle sales, regulations for repairs were also published.
While vehicle sales are undergoing a phased re-opening, regulations regarding repairs and maintenance appear to be fixed no matter which alert level the country (or province) is under.
Customers looking to service or repair their vehicle will have to make an appointment. Walk-ins will only be allowed under exceptional and emergency circumstances.
In the case of walk-ins, businesses will need to keep a record of each instance at its premises for three months after the state of disaster is lifted.
Customers will also not be allowed to enter a workshop and access should be reserved exclusively for technical and support staff. You will also have to have maintenance or repairs done with your municipal boundaries.
Government has said the following instances classify as emergency repairs:
- Repairs on essential services cars, or on the cars of persons performing essential services
- repairs required to restore a car’s safety and roadworthiness to good running condition;
- routine servicing of cars that is due or overdue in terms of the manufacturer’s recommended service intervals, whether due as a result of –
- (a) mileage;
- (b) time interval since last service;
- (c) recommendation by car on-board computer;
- (d) urgent collision repairs; and
- (e) specific OEM activated recall or warranty campaigns.
The regulations also stipulate that cosmetic repairs such as minor scratches or dents do not count as emergency repairs.
However, taking your car in for voluntary or routine servicing “that is not overdue in terms of the manufacturer’s service intervals” are also not classified as emergency repairs. That means that you have to wait until a service is overdue or due in order for a service to be permitted under these regulations. You seemingly aren’t allowed to service your vehicle before a service is due.
Government has also outlined which businesses that assist with repairs and maintenance may now be open:
- Auto electricians
- tyre fitment, windscreen replacement centres
- bond stores and parts distribution centres
- motor body repairers
- any other related business that can attend to repairs mentioned above
These support services should follow the phased approach outlined for dealerships and used car outlets with the exception of bond stores and parts distribution centres which can operate at 50 percent capacity from alert level one.
[Image – CC 0 Pixabay]
