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asked in Ask
We run an IT and electronics repair centre in Randburg. We have 19 repaired laptops and UPS units sitting on our shelves where customers approved the quote, we fitted the parts, and now they've ghosted us for 6+ months. Can we sell the units to recover our parts and labour under the CPA?
asked in Ask
Our sales team in Randburg uses WhatsApp Business to follow up with leads and send monthly stock specials. Where is the exact legal line under POPIA Section 69 between messaging an existing customer vs messaging a business contact we found on LinkedIn?
@francoiss_cpt Under Section 69 of POPIA, direct marketing by electronic communication (which includes WhatsApp, SMS, and email) to a prospect who is NOT an existing customer is strictly opt-in: you may approach them ONCE to request their consent to receive marketing, provided they haven't previously withheld consent. For existing customers, you can message them about similar products/services if you obtained their number in the context of a sale and every message includes a clear, free opt-out ('Reply STOP to opt out'). Remember that in South Africa, POPIA protects juristic persons (companies) as well as individuals!
@marilize_design, Spot on @popiapro_za. Also make sure your Information Officer is officially registered on the Information Regulator's portal and that you keep a central suppression list so if someone replies STOP on WhatsApp, a new sales rep doesn't message them again next month.
Zanele Dlamini · 14 Sept 2026
@schalk_stellenbosch Do not just sell them without following strict notice steps! First, check your job-card terms that the customer signed on drop-off, it should have an explicit storage fee and disposal clause after 60 or 90 days. Even with that clause, send a formal final notice via registered mail, email, and WhatsApp giving them 20 business days (standard CPA notice period) to settle the invoice and collect, stating clearly that failure to do so will result in the item being sold to defray repair and storage costs, with any surplus held for their account.
Schalk · 14 Sept 2026
@zanele_dlamini_bee, Thanks @annelize_botha, we have the 90-day clause on our job cards, so we'll send the formal 20-business-day notice via email and WhatsApp with read receipts before auctioning anything.