Reports in the national media indicate that Vodacom is under investigation by the National Consumer Commission after unilaterally announcing a price increase for contract customers recently.

Vodacom is effectively increasing some 24-month contract payments by R10 per month, including contracts already signed. Existing customers, some of whom only signed contracts less than a week ago, are outraged that Vodacom has increased the price of their 24-month contract.

“I cannot negotiate with them, but they can just randomly increase the price. My deal was R199 x 24 months and now, suddenly, it will go up to R209 x 24 months effective from May 1,” said an angry Vodacom customer.

While cell-phone regularity body ICASA says that Vodacom has done nothing wrong, the National Consumer Commission seems to disagree.

Section 48 of the National Consumer Protection Act prohibits a supplier from entering into an agreement with a consumer on terms that are unfair, unjust or unreasonable.

Complaints have been laid about the increase with the National Consumer Commission, as well as ASA (Advertising Standards Authority), as Vodacom continue to advertise their 24-month cell-phone contracts without any reference to the May 1st increase.