Consumers Cautioned against Engaging Delcor Drilling Botswana and The Major Professionals Borehole Drilling Companies

The Competition and Consumer Authority (Authority) cautions consumers against the use of the services of two borehole drilling companies being Delcor Drilling Botswana (Pty) Ltd, and The Major Professionals (Pty) Ltd.

In the recent past, the Authority has received a total of ten (10) consumer complaints against Delcor Drilling Botswana and five (5) against The Major Professionals. It appears that although The Major Professionals is based in Palapye and Francistown; and Delcor Drilling Botswana is based in Maun, the two companies indicate that their services can be extended to other distant parts of the country.

Most complaints received against these two drilling companies have to do with their failure to provide drilling services with consumers having been made to pay advance payments or deposits. Over and above not showing up to provide the required services, some consumers received incomplete borehole drilling services. When approached by the Authority about the allegations, the reasons advanced by the two companies were not convincing as they pointed to machinery breakdowns. Even after giving them more time to fix their machinery, the situation did not change, as the companies continue to collect funds from consumers who are unaware of the unavailability of working machinery.

To date, Delcor Drilling Botswana has collected at least P345 000.00 from consumers, either as a deposit or full payment, but no service has been rendered. On the other hand, The Major Professionals has collected at least P240 000.00 from consumers, either as a deposit or full payment, also with no service delivery. These figures only relate to consumer complaints that have been registered with the Authority and the figure could be higher as some consumers may not yet have reported

This has left the Authority with no option but to issue a cautionary statement. The Authority therefore appeals to consumers to be cautious and exercise care when engaging the services of Delcor Drilling Botswana and The Major Professionals. We further urge consumers who have had similar experiences against these two borehole drilling companies to come forward and lodge their complaints with the Authority.

Source: Consumer Alert issued by the CCA on 26^th January 2024