The National Consumer Forum has called for a public commission of inquiry to investigate the recently admitted bungle over the calculation of consumer inflation data.
It said the bungle had had a negative impact on consumers and that they deserved the right to know what really happened.
The forum said in a statement on Thursday: “It is all very well for Statistics SA to publicly admit that it had used outdated and overstated data to calculate consumer inflation.
“This bungle has had a negative impact on consumers in our country. They have had to pay more for products and services such as food, electricity, transportation, housing, telephone and postal services and other basic social amenities.
“Consumers, as victims of this serious mistake, have the right to know what really happened. It is in the light of the aforementioned that the National Consumer Forum is, therefore, calling upon the government to publicly investigate the matter by setting up a Commission of Enquiry (as was the case when the Rand depreciated to unprecedented levels with no apparent reasons) and take the necessary measures to ensure that this scandal never happens again.
“It is also worth noting that, since this matter became public, no single business or parastatal organization has shown the necessary sensitivity and courtesy to poor consumers by reviewing prices and tariffs.” – I-Net Bridge