income consumers do not have access to inexpensive debt remedies and that it is not financially viable for Debt Counsellors to assist such consumers. They thus would like to recommend alternatives to debt review. They pointed to how many consumers had accounts terminated from debt review by creditors and feel that court fees and PDA fees only add to a consumers debt. They would like to see these fees reduced. One option they feel could work is if the costs could be shared between consumers and credit providers or if NGOs and charities could fund counselling. The NDMA managed to get in some NCR bashing as well, saying that the NCR has capacity constraints and when dealing with VDMS and the NCR Task Team report suggestions. They say the NCR did not have the capacity to understand the issues and could thus not engage properly. In regard to progress made by the industry they feel the NCR took these real solutions and made them redundant without proper analysis and explanation. They say the NCR did not participate in the way it should have. Ironically it was comments like this that soured the NCR to supporting the NDMA in the past. Since the NDMA has operated as ADRAs for some time (and of course as debt counsellors) they had a lot to say about this section of the amendments. They do not want a list of do’s and don’ts in the amendments which will restrict what ADRAs can do. In regard to PDAs they feel that consumers should be offered the choice to use one but warn that PDAs have caused payment issues and increased consumer risk in the past. They would like to see PDAs paying liability claims where consumers have faced legal action or loss of assets. All in all they are not very ‘pro’ PDA.
Other presentations by the Credit Bureau Association (who are not chuffed about the proposed Credit information Amnesty), The Association of Debt Recovery Agents as well as credit provider Home Choice ran on later than expected.
DAY THREE PRESENTATIONS The first presentation of the day was by local biscuit factory owner Simon Mantell. He discussed how his staff have been struggling with debt. In particular he would like to reduce the use and abuse of EAO or Garnishee orders as they are called. Capitol Software made the shortest presentation, taking only a few minutes to promote the use of their type of services over that of Payment Distribution Agencies. The National Clothing Retailer Federation represent members such as Woolworths, Truworths, Edcon, Mr Price, Queenspark gave a brief presentation in which they gave support for the amendments. They too were nervous about the proposed credit information amnesty. The Black Debt Counsellors Forum came out strongly in favor of voluntary forms of Debt Review as mentioned in Section 87(7)(b). They feel that Debt Counsellors should be able to offer voluntary debt mediation while other parties should not be allowed to offer any such service (since the Act mentions it specifically in connection with debt counselling). The BDCF feel that it prejudices a consumer to wait for