South African Government Warns Temu And Other Online Retailers To Comply With Local Law

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) has joined forces with the National Consumer Commission (NCC) to issue a stern warning to foreign-owned e-commerce platforms that fail to meet South African legal and regulatory standards.

The warning follows growing concern over misleading marketing practices by online shopping giant Temu, which claimed to operate a local warehouse in South Africa—despite having no such facility.

Temu Under Scrutiny for Misleading Warehouse Claims

According to the department, Temu began advertising the existence of a South African-based warehouse in July.

However, the Chinese-owned company later clarified that it does not operate its own storage facilities in the country but instead uses third-party logistics providers to store and deliver goods.

DTIC spokesperson Kaamil Alli explained that the government is paying close attention to Temu’s operations to ensure compliance with South African consumer laws.

“The operations of Temu, naturally, have to comply with all the relevant legislation, including the Consumer Protection Act, and as a result of this local warehouse launch, the department will be monitoring these developments and the impact on the domestic retail sector quite closely,” said Alli.

Authorities Monitoring Compliance and Consumer Impact

Alli added that the department’s investigation is still in its early stages, as no formal complaint has been lodged against Temu. However, both the DTIC and NCC are tracking reports in the media and monitoring similar cases in other jurisdictions.

“It’s a bit tricky at the moment. It’s at the very initial stage because no formal complaint has been initiated or received against the firm.

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“The NCC has noted these concerns through media reports. But we have also been monitoring other jurisdictions around deceptive practices and the quality and safety of the products,” Alli said.

The government’s move signals a stronger stance against deceptive advertising and aims to ensure that consumers are protected from misleading claims in South Africa’s growing online retail sector.

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