Parliament, Tuesday, 07 March 2017 – The Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry today had an engagement with various role-players involved in the recall of Ford Kuga vehicles earlier this year.
Committee Members raised concerns regarding the delay in recalling the Ford Kuga. The first vehicles combusted in South Africa during 2015 and this number increased during 2016. In January 2017, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (Ford SA) and the National Consumer Commission recalled the Ford Kuga 1.6-litre. MPs indicated that Ford vehicles in the United States were recalled more promptly, creating the impression that South African lives were less important.
The Committee heard that the Ford Kuga was introduced in South Africa in 2013 with approximately 15 000 sales. A total of 4 556 1.6-litre Kuga were recalled on 16 January 2017 after increased engine compartment fires. To date, 3 200 Kugas have been checked and 2 700 serviced and returned to owners. A further 1 300 Kugas remain in the market to complete.
The Committee Chairperson, Ms Joanmariae Fubbs, said it is clear that international standards should not be accepted automatically. “We cannot simply wait for something disastrous to occur before we act. It is clear that in certain areas we cannot rely on international tests and should consider developing and implementing our own tests, which take our climatic environment in account.”
The National Consumer Commission said in its presentation that when complainants alleged that their rights had been violated, the NCC’s Screening Committee recommended an investigation into Ford SA, as allegations were made regarding contraventions of certain provisions of the Consumer Protection Act. These 45 complaints went beyond the scope of the product safety recall. As Ford SA had yet to respond to the allegations, the NCC could not go into the details.
MPs also enquired why the regulators took so long to become involved in an investigation. Members made it clear that many South Africans have lost trust in Ford SA and pointed out that more adequate and timely information should have been provided much earlier.
The Committee further urged Ford SA to address the matter of Mr Reshall Jimmy in a more humane manner as soon as possible. Mr Jimmy died in December 2015 when his 2014 1.6l Kuga caught alight while he was on holiday in the Wilderness‚ in the Western Cape after an electrical fault set his car alight.
However Ford SA indicated that they have been supporting the Jimmy family and agreed that the family needed closure. It was indicated that Ford SA could not simply accept liability, but rather needed to ascertain the facts of the matter. Ford SA nevertheless agreed that they had not adequately communicated to its customers regarding the Kugas that had caught alight, but re-iterated that they are working on improving this.
In adjourning the meeting, Ms Fubbs confirmed that the Committee will be monitoring the matter closely. The Committee will need to examine the guidelines and/or review the legislation to ensure earlier action is taken regarding the recall of vehicles.
“We need to try to avoid a repetition of this by learning from mistakes we may have made. Further, we need to communicate once again our commitment to the consumer,” Ms Fubbs concluded.
ISSUED BY PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MS JOANMARIAE FUBBS
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