South Africa’s consumer regulators are pushing for significant changes to the rules that govern online shopping, in a move that could reshape how global platforms such as Temu and Amazon operate in the country. The National Consumer Commission and the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud have released a joint position paper that argues the current framework has not kept pace with fast-moving digital commerce.
The change is not a new law yet, and there is no enforcement date in place. What has changed is that South Africa now has a formal regulatory push for reforms that would make offshore e-commerce sellers easier to hold accountable, expand platform responsibility for third-party sellers, and tighten rules around returns, refunds, product safety and online trade descriptions. For South African consumers, the issue matters because online complaints have become a persistent problem. For companies operating in the market, the next step is likely to be a policy and legislative process involving government and industry.
What we know so far
The starting point is a joint paper published by the NCC and the CGSO to mark World Consumer Rights Day 2026. In that paper and the accompanying NCC statement, the two bodies said e-commerce has transformed shopping habits but has also created major consumer protection gaps, especially when the supplier is offshore or when a transaction involves a third-party seller operating through a large platform.
The regulators said the paper was designed to assess the main challenges facing consumers online and to identify ways to strengthen protections. Their findings focused on recurring complaints that include misleading advertising, non-delivery, late delivery, damaged goods, unsafe goods, non-compliant return policies, refunds that never arrive, and counterfeit products sold through third-party sellers on major platforms.
That is a material issue in South Africa’s online market. Reuters reported in September 2025 that online retail turnover in the country was expected to exceed R130 billion for that year and account for about 10% of total retail sales. In the same report, Amazon was described as being used by 12.3% of online shoppers, while Shein and Temu together ranked second with 15.3%, behind Takealot.
The official paper does not name Temu and Amazon as targets in a legal sense. But the structure of the proposals makes clear why both companies are part of the discussion. Temu is associated with cross-border e-commerce and offshore selling into South Africa, while Amazon operates a local marketplace built around independent sellers and third-party listings. The reforms proposed by the regulators would touch both models in different ways.
Why it matters
The first reason it matters is accountability. The NCC and CGSO say many consumers struggle to obtain meaningful redress when something goes wrong with an online purchase, especially when the supplier is outside South Africa or when responsibility is split between a platform and a third-party seller.
That is why one of the most important proposals is the mandatory appointment of local representatives for offshore e-commerce retailers operating in South Africa. If that proposal eventually becomes law or binding regulation, platforms that sell into South Africa from abroad could be required to maintain a credible local point of contact for complaints, compliance and enforcement.
For Temu and similar platforms, that would be a potentially significant shift. It could mean a stronger local legal presence, easier complaint escalation for consumers, and a more direct line for South African regulators seeking compliance with the Consumer Protection Act and related laws.
Amazon sits in a different position. It already operates Amazon.co.za and has invested in South African seller infrastructure. Reuters reported when Amazon launched locally in 2024 that the platform would offer same-day and next-day delivery and access to more than 3,000 pickup locations. Amazon has also since expanded seller support in South Africa. That means the local-representative issue may be less central for Amazon than another key recommendation in the paper: joint liability for platforms that host third-party sellers.
That proposal goes to the heart of marketplace accountability. The NCC and CGSO argue that platforms should not be able to step back completely when harm is caused to a South African consumer through a seller hosted on their platform. If adopted, that would mark a major change for marketplace operators because it would increase pressure to improve vetting, complaint resolution, takedowns and product safety compliance.
Key details and figures
The main proposals in the paper
The regulators’ recommendations include:
- Amendments to the Consumer Protection Act and the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act.
- Changes to close gaps around cooling-off periods, return costs and online trade descriptions.
- Mandatory local representatives for offshore e-commerce retailers operating in South Africa.
- Joint liability for platforms that host third-party sellers.
- A central complaints handling platform to improve coordination between regulators and ombuds offices.
- Exploration of a RAPEX-style product safety alert system for hazardous goods sold online.
- Stronger enforcement of data consent protections under POPIA.
The complaint and market backdrop
The regulators also set out why they believe the reform push is urgent:
- CGSO chief executive Queen Munyai said e-commerce has accounted for more than 20% of all consumer complaints received by the ombud for the last five years.
- Those complaints include misleading advertising, non-delivery, late delivery, unsafe goods, non-compliant return policies, refunds that do not materialise and counterfeit products.
- Reuters reported that South Africa’s online retail turnover was expected to top R130 billion in 2025.
- Reuters also reported that Amazon was used by 12.3% of online shoppers, while Shein and Temu together were used by 15.3%.
- Reuters said Shein and Temu had already felt pressure from tighter customs enforcement and the closing of tax loopholes, suggesting that regulatory scrutiny of cross-border e-commerce is already increasing.
These figures matter because they show that the story is not only about consumer law theory. It is also about a fast-growing retail market where complaints, platform scale and cross-border trade are already colliding.
What officials and experts are saying
The strongest official message from the NCC is that digital platforms should not be able to profit from transactions involving South African consumers while avoiding responsibility when those consumers are harmed. Acting Commissioner Hardin Ratshisusu said the commission’s position was unequivocal on that point.
The CGSO’s position is slightly different in emphasis but aligned in substance. Munyai said the current legislative design has not kept pace with changes in consumer behaviour and that the existing system can leave complaints fragmented across multiple bodies, making it harder for consumers to secure effective outcomes.
Together, those positions amount to a broad policy argument. The regulators are saying the old distinction between platform, seller and intermediary is no longer enough in a market where consumers often experience the platform as the real face of the transaction.
What this means for households and businesses
For households, the clearest benefit of any eventual reform would be better access to redress. If offshore sellers are required to appoint local representatives and if large platforms face stronger liability standards, consumers could find it easier to challenge unsafe goods, misleading product descriptions, failed deliveries and refund disputes.
For businesses, the effects would be mixed. Reputable sellers and platforms may welcome clearer rules if they improve trust in online shopping and reduce unfair competition from poorly accountable rivals. But compliance costs could also rise, particularly for offshore platforms, logistics partners and marketplaces with large numbers of third-party sellers.
There is also a competitive angle. South Africa’s online market is becoming more crowded, and regulation now sits closer to the centre of that contest. In practice, any tightening of accountability standards could shift costs, customer service expectations and dispute handling across the sector.
What happens next
The most important next step is that these are still proposals, not final law. The NCC statement says the two bodies will engage with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition’s E-Commerce Advisory Committee as they seek to shape a stronger regulatory framework.
That means the changes still need to move through a policy process before they become binding. Depending on the route government chooses, that could involve draft legislation, formal amendments, consultation and further submissions from the industry.
For now, the key verified development is that South Africa’s consumer regulators have publicly laid out a tougher reform agenda for e-commerce. Temu and similar cross-border platforms appear most exposed to the push for local representation and easier enforcement. Amazon, because of its established local marketplace and reliance on independent sellers, appears more exposed to any move toward broader platform liability.
The story, then, is not that new rules have already taken effect. It is that the regulatory direction has become much clearer. South Africa’s online shopping market is growing quickly, complaints remain substantial, and the country’s consumer watchdogs are now openly pushing for a tougher accountability model for major digital retail platforms.
Reporting basis: This article is based on the NCC and CGSO’s March 2026 joint e-commerce paper and NCC statement, plus Reuters reporting on South Africa’s online retail market and Amazon’s local launch and seller expansion.
