Code of Ethics
The cornerstone of the Direct Selling Association’s (DSA) commitment to ethical business practices and consumer service is its Code of Ethics.
As a condition of acceptance and continuing membership, all DSA member companies pledge to adhere to the industry Code of Ethics in addition to compliance with all legislation in South Africa.
The DSA Code of Ethics covers conduct between direct selling companies, the company and the direct seller, and the direct seller and the consumer. It ensures that member companies will make no statements or promises that might mislead either consumers or prospective direct sellers. The relationship between the direct seller and the consumer has to be of the highest order and the correct representation of goods, services and business opportunities is imperative. Also, good relationships between the direct seller and the direct selling company are equally important and essential to industry growth, as well as relationships between member companies.
How to File a Complaint
All complaints are required to be submitted in writing either via email or post, to:
DSA Secretariat
P.O. Box 53524, Wierdapark, 0149
Email: admin@dsasa.co.za
If you have a complaint against a Direct Selling Association (DSA) member company (or an individual direct seller representing a direct selling company)
that is a member of a DSA, you can file a complaint. The complaint can be in response to any business practice you believe is a possible violation of the
DSA Code of Ethics.
Here are the steps you should follow:
1. First, try to resolve the matter directly with the individual(s) or the company involved. Your complaint should be in writing, and should include the
following information:
- The date and details of the incident
- The parties involved
- The section of the Code of Ethics that you believe has been violated
- A description of the efforts you have made to resolve the matter
- The cost of the product involved, if relevant, including invoices or other supporting documents
- A description of the actions the other parties have made to resolve the matter
- The current status of the complaint
- The remedy you believe should be applied
Please provide sufficient time for the company or individual(s) to respond to your written complaint. Usually, 30 days is suggested.
2. If, after completing step 1 (above) the situation is not resolved to your satisfaction, contact the DSA Secretariat at:
DSA Secretariat
Email: admin@dsasa.co.za
You should provide the DSA Secretariat with the same information identified in step 1 (above). If your complaint is not resolved at this level, the matter
will be referred by the DSA Secretariat to the Code Administrator.
3. If your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction after completing step 1 and 2 (above), you should send the complete history of your complaint,
including responses from both the company and the local DSA to WFDSA at: info@wfdsa.org. WFDSA will contact the local DSA Code Administrator and
the local DSA to gain an understanding of why the complaint has not been resolved.
4. The WFDSA Code provides extra-territorial effect. This means that you can still be protected, and file a complaint even thought there may not be a
DSA in your country or the company in question is not a member of your country’s DSA but belongs to the DSA of its headquarters.
Here are the steps you should follow:
- Find out where the company is headquartered
- Find out if the company is the member of the DSA where it is headquartered
- Send the complete history of your complaint to that DSA Code Administrator as outlined in step 1 above
- If the company is not a member of the DSA you should lodge a complaint with the National Consumer Commission.