Consumer Protection & Communication Services - Regional Energy Regulators Association of Southern Africa

Consumer Protection and Communication Services

Mandate of the Portfolio Committee on Consumer Protection and Communication Services (PC-CPCS)

Mandate

Article 7.4 of the RERA Constitution states, among other things, that there shall be Portfolio Committees constituted by the Portfolio Committees’ Chairpersons which shall execute the objectives and functions of RERA as outlined more fully in Articles 4 and 5. Thus, RERA has four (4) Portfolio Committees, one of which is the Portfolio Committee on Consumer Protection and Communication Services (PC-CPCS) and is organised as shown below.

The broad mandate of the PC-CPCS as in Article 4 of the RERA Constitution is to:

Enhance consumer awareness and protection through dissemination of information and standardization of consumer rights, protection and communication in accordance with best practices and national legislation.

Reporting to the PC-CPCS is the Consumer Protection and Communication Subcommittee (CPCS) with the following main objective:

To strengthen the regional regulatory framework in so far as consumer services and communication issues are concerned.

Some of the functions of RERA in Article 5 of the RERA Constitution that have some bearing on the mandate of the PC-CPCS include the following:

a. Promote and support the development of independent electricity regulators in Member countries where same are not presently established;
b. source funding for the implementation of programmes and projects;
c. promote where necessary the establishment of norms and standards for the Energy Sectors across the SADC region, including (but not limited to) environmental
d. establish working relationships with other agencies that promote the regional development and co-ordination of energy related matters.