Banking giant, Absa, said it has noted a complaint by Tumisang and Manasa Qholosha, a couple from Weltevreden Park in Roodepoort, who bought two brand-new Renault Tribers that turned out to be faulty.
The Absa-financed cars were bought on November 18, 2024, from Auto City Heidelberg to kick-start the couple's transport business.
Absa replied after IOL wrote an article about how the couple had been ignored by the dealership when they complained about some defects in both cars.
Charl Potgieter, Managing Executive at Absa Vehicle and Asset Finance said the bank was fully committed to treating its customers fairly and doing its best to support navigating this challenge.
"We have noted the complaint of Mr and Mrs Qholosha relating to the two Renault Tribers they had purchased last year. We are engaging all parties involved to investigate this matter further and reach an appropriate resolution," said Potgieter.
Tumisang confirmed that his wife was called by Absa, and the representative is said to have told the wife that they need time to investigate the matter and will give feedback as soon as the investigation is completed.
Now that their issue has received attention, Tumisang said he hoped for a better outcome.
"These cars have brought us pain from the day we got them.We just want this matter to be resolved. I hope this time around, the bank will conduct a proper investigation and provide us with a solution that will benefit us because we are paying a lot of money to be given used cars," he said.
He added that a representative from Renault called and indicated that they would look into the matter.
What started as a hopeful venture into the transport business has spiraled into a somber reality, with the couple facing over R500,000 in debt for two faulty Renault Tribers.
After a decade of unemployment, Tumisang saw this as a viable business opportunity, offering services such as e-hailing, school transportation, and long-distance and airport shuttles.
When purchasing the cars, the couple specifically requested brand-new vehicles, believing these would mitigate the risk of mechanical issues that could compromise their fledgling business.
However, upon collecting both cars, they noticed they might not be new as they were told.
Tumisang said the maroon car had scratches and the white one gave him issues with the brakes a day after it was delivered to his house.
When asked why they didn't inspect the maroon car when they were still at the dealership, Tumisang said he didn't think there was a reason to worry.
“We trusted the dealership because of its reputation; we never thought we’d be mistreated,” he said, sounding disappointed.
“I mean, we bought the car from a reputable dealership; we had no reason to suspect that they would do us dirty.”
Tumisang said he only found out later from the salesperson that the maroon car which had an odometer reading over 800km, was a demo.
"I was livid, because it means the dealership had been using the car and we were never informed about this. We were told we were buying a new car, not a used car," he said.
"When I confronted the manager about this, he insisted that as long as the car was under 1,000km and has never been registered on the national traffic information system (eNaTIS), then the car is new."
Tumisang claims the manager offered him a R6,000 refund for the used car and he refused.
“A R6,000 refund for a faulty vehicle? That’s nothing compared to the interests we owe on the loans,” he said.
“We face a crippling financial burden, paying over R8,000 a month for cars that are not even fit for their intended purpose. We are paying a price for new cars, yet they were used and are faulty,” Tumisang stated.
“We can’t use the vehicles to their fullest capacity because we fear for our lives and those of our passengers.”
The couple has since resorted to using the cars for e-hailing services, but Tumisang said their business is limping.
“When drivers hear the brake sounds, they get scared and refuse to drive. I have to find replacements, and it’s just a never-ending cycle of stress. This was supposed to help us with our business, but it has brought nothing but misery," he said.
When Tumisang was asked why he couldn't take one of the cars to help lighten the load, he explained that financial struggles had forced them to let go of their helper.
Consequently, he has stepped up to manage the household, get the kids ready for school, and assist them with their homework when they return.
The dealership has not replied questions sent by IOL.