I have mailed the organizers asking for a full refund.
The issue here is that you cannot get clients to waive their CPA rights by signing contracts. It is difficult to contest because it is unlikely that anyone will contemplate defending their CPA rights over R400. Some organizers try to get around this by stating that if the event is cancelled on the day as a result of health and safety issues then they will not refund you. This is contrary to the spirit of the CPA which is not interested in WHY the event was cancelled, only that consumers are protected from paying for goods and services and then not receiving them, whatever that reason may be.
My interpretation is that we are legally entitled to a refund, whatever the organizers say. This relates specifically to protection afforded to South African consumers by the CPA.
Think about it. They organized and advertised an event that they then cancelled three hours before the start. There were no storms, snow, fires, Russian missiles, etc. In my opinion the only reason they didn’t proceed is that it was a speculative exercise where they probably decided to not go ahead if they didn’t have the numbers. This is not on. You cannot takes money from over 1000? people under such circumstances and glibly refuse refunds because you didn’t get sufficient numbers.
Let’s not kid ourselves about the postponed event. The reputational damage sustained will put paid to anyone being interested in Tshwane Classic 2022: The Sequel 😱
