Western Cape High Court Certifies SU Law Clinic Class Action
Ngomhla we-21 Julayi 2021, iNkundla ePhakamileyo yaseNtshona Koloni yavuma isicelo seKliniki yezoMthetho yaseStellensbosch University sokubamba ityala njengeqela, apho iKliniki kunye nabathengi abasibhozo becela imvume yokumisa ityala leqela egameni lamawaka abathengi abakhohlisiweyo. Eli lityala leshumi kuphela eMzantsi Afrika eliye lavunywa njengesenzo seqela ngempumelelo, kwaye likwayityala lokuqala lezomthetho wabathengi apho inkundla ifanele ukuvelisa isigqibo sesiqinisekiso. Kwakhona, lityala lokuqala lokuqinisekiswa ngempumelelo eliphakanyiswe yiKliniki yezoMthetho yaseYunivesithi yaseMzantsi Afrika.
IKliniki yezoMthetho yaseStellenbosch University yafaka isicelo sesiqinisekiso kwiNkundla ePhakamileyo yaseNtshona Koloni ngomhla we-13 Septemba 2019. IKliniki yafumana izikhalazo ezivela kubathengi malunga namaphepha ewebhu adibeneyo nenkampani ebizwa ngokuba yiLifestyle Legal. La maphepha ewebhu asebenzisa iindlela zokuthengisa ezimnyama (“dark pattern marketing”) ukwenza ngathi anikezela ngemali-mboleko okanye ngeenkonzo zokukhangela imali-mboleko simahla. Abathengi abatyelela ezi webhusayithi bakhuthazwa ukuba bangene kwizivumelwano ngeenkonzo abangazifuniyo, baze bamangaliswe kukufumanisa ukuba imali itsalwa kwiakhawunti zabo zebhanki. Abathengi abakwaziyo ukuphinda babuyisele ezi ntsalo bajamelana noxinzelelo oluninzi, ukuchwatyeliswa, kunye nezoyikiso ezivela kule nkampani, ebasongela ngokufakwa kuluhlu lwabatyali-mali abangalunganga (blacklisting) okanye ukuthatha amanyathelo ezomthetho ukuba bengahlawuli ngokwezi “zivumelwano”.
IKliniki ibanga ukuba ezi zivumelwano zithi zafikelelwa phakathi kwabathengi (amalungu eqela) kunye ne sayithi zewebhu (abaphenduli abangama-19 iyonke), azikho sikweni, azilunganga, azinabulungisa kwaye azifanelekanga ngokwezahluko 40, 41, no-48 zoMthetho woKhuseleko lwaBathengi (Consumer Protection Act) 68 ka-2008 (“CPA”), okanye, ngendlela engatshongo mthetho phantsi komthetho oqhelekileyo (common law). IKliniki ikwabanga ukuba indlela abaphenduli(Respondents) abaziphatha ngayo xa befuna okanye beqokelela intlawulo, ayikho sikweni ngokweCandelo 40 loMthetho woKhuseleko lwaBathengi, okanye, kwakhona, ayikho semthethweni phantsi komthetho oqhelekileyo.
Ukuqinisekiswa kwesenzo seqela kuya kunika iKliniki yezoMthetho yaseSU amandla okucelelela ukubuyiselwa kwemali etsalwe ngokungekho mthethweni kunye nembuyekezo yelahleko ezibangelwe yile nkqubo, egameni lamawaka abathengi abachaphazelekileyo. Oku kuya kunceda ekufumaneni ubulungisa kubathengi abakhululayo ababonakala njengabaxhaphazwayo ngenxa yokuziphatha okungafanelekanga kwabaphenduli.