Terms of Service
Effective date: 4 June 2026
Governing entity: Duela Pay (Pty) Ltd (“DuelaPay”, “we”, “us”)
Jurisdiction: Republic of South Africa
These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your use of DuelaPay’s lay-by payment platform, mobile application, website, and all related services. By registering an account or using any DuelaPay service, you agree to be bound by these Terms. Please read them carefully.
These Terms incorporate the requirements of the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA), the National Credit Act 34 of 2005 (NCA), the Financial Intelligence Centre Act 38 of 2001 (FICA), and the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA).
1. Eligibility
To use DuelaPay you must:
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Be a South African citizen or permanent resident with a valid South African ID
- Have a valid South African mobile number
- Complete the required KYC (Know Your Customer) verification
- Not be subject to a sequestration order or declared insolvent
2. Account Registration and KYC
You must provide accurate, complete, and up-to-date information when registering. DuelaPay is required by FICA to verify your identity before activating full account functionality. Verification levels:
- Tier 1 (T1): Name, phone number, South African ID number. Required for Starter tier. Completable in under 3 minutes.
- Tier 2 (T2): Proof of address. Required for Grow tier and above.
You are responsible for keeping your account credentials secure. Notify us immediately at support@duelapay.com if you suspect unauthorised access.
3. Lay-By Plans — How They Work
3.1 Plan Creation
A lay-by plan reserves a product with a participating merchant. Your plan limit is determined by your Duela Score tier:
| Tier | Plan limit | Active plans |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | Up to R2,500 | 1 |
| Grow | Up to R7,500 | 2 |
| Build | Up to R15,000 | 3 |
| Thrive | Up to R30,000 | 4 |
| Excel | Up to R50,000 | 5 |
3.2 Deposit
A non-refundable deposit of 25% of the lay-by price is payable at plan creation to reserve your item. The deposit is applied toward the total balance.
3.3 Payment Terms
The remaining balance is divided into equal monthly instalments over your chosen term:
- 3-month plan: balance split into 3 equal monthly instalments
- 6-month plan: balance split into 6 equal monthly instalments
All instalments are interest-free. The total amount you pay equals the lay-by price — no more, no less.
3.4 Lay-By Price
The lay-by price may differ from the standard retail (cash) price. The difference covers platform fees, payment processing, Duela Protect insurance, and rewards — disclosed as a single markup. You will always be shown the lay-by price and the monthly instalment amount before confirming your plan.
3.5 Payment Methods
Instalments may be paid via: DuelaPay wallet, debit/credit card, EFT, PayShap, or cash at an authorised till point. Your preferred payment method may be updated in-app at any time.
3.6 Missed Payments
If an instalment is missed, you will be notified immediately. A 3-day grace period applies. After the grace period, your plan will be marked as overdue and your Duela Score will be affected. Continued non-payment may result in plan cancellation.
3.7 Collection
Once all instalments are paid, a secure collection QR code is issued to your app. The QR code is valid for 30 days. The merchant will scan the code to confirm handover. Items not collected within 30 days may require a new collection code.
4. Cancellation and Abandonment
In accordance with Section 54 of the Consumer Protection Act, the following fees apply:
4.1 Shopper-initiated cancellation
You may cancel your lay-by at any time before collection. A cancellation fee of 1% of the total amount paid to date applies. The remainder is refunded to your DuelaPay wallet within 3–5 business days.
4.2 Plan abandonment
A plan is considered abandoned if no payment is made for 45 or more consecutive days. Abandoned plans are automatically cancelled. A fee of 3% of the total amount paid to date applies. The remainder is refunded to your DuelaPay wallet within 3–5 business days.
4.3 Hardship — Duela Protect
If you are cancelling due to job loss, hospitalisation, or another covered hardship, you may be eligible for a Duela Protect claim instead of cancellation. Contact us before cancelling — a successful claim means no fee and the remaining instalments are settled by insurance. See Section 5.
4.4 Merchant cancellation
If a merchant cancels a confirmed lay-by plan, you are entitled to a full refund of all amounts paid, including the deposit, with no deduction.
5. Duela Protect
Every DuelaPay lay-by plan includes Duela Protect — built-in insurance at no additional cost, funded as part of the lay-by price. Coverage applies automatically from the date your plan is created.
5.1 Covered events
- Retrenchment: if you lose your job through retrenchment, the remaining instalments are settled by insurance and your item is reserved for collection.
- Hospitalisation: if you are hospitalised for 7 or more consecutive days, your plan is paused — not cancelled — and your Duela Score is frozen during the claim period.
- Death or permanent disability: the outstanding balance is settled by insurance and the item is released to your estate or nominated beneficiary.
5.2 How to claim
Open the DuelaPay app → your plan → “I need help” → “File a Duela Protect claim.” Upload supporting documentation. Claims are assessed within 5 business days.
5.3 Post-plan conversion
After plan completion, you will receive an offer to convert your Duela Protect cover into a standalone short-term insurance product (funeral, device cover, household contents, or income protection). This is optional and subject to separate insurance terms.
6. Duela Score and Tier Progression
Your Duela Score (0–100) is calculated from your payment behaviour on the platform. It determines your plan limit, active plan count, and access to advanced features. The score recalculates monthly and is visible in-app. Score aggregators (events that increase your score) include on-time payments and plan completions. Score mitigators (events that decrease your score) include missed payments and plan abandonment.
Tier progression is automatic and transparent. You can view the factors affecting your score in the Score screen of the app.
7. Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)
BNPL access is earned — not extended as credit — based on verified lay-by payment history. It is available only to Thrive and Excel tier shoppers:
- Thrive: up to R2,500 over 30 days (3 payments). Requires a minimum of 6 completed lay-by plans and zero missed payments in the preceding 90 days.
- Excel: up to R7,500 over 60 days (6 payments). Requires a minimum of 12 completed lay-by plans, no rehabilitation tool usage in 12 months, and a wallet balance of at least R500.
BNPL is not a credit product under the NCA. Missed BNPL payments result in immediate suspension of BNPL access for 90 days and a significant Duela Score mitigator event.
8. DuelaPay Wallet
The DuelaPay wallet is a stored-value account issued under our sponsor bank arrangement. Wallet funds may be used to pay lay-by instalments, make outright purchases at participating merchants, and receive refunds. The wallet is not a bank account and does not earn interest. FICA transaction limits apply based on your KYC tier.
9. Merchant Terms
Merchants who participate in DuelaPay agree to separate Merchant Terms. Key obligations include: accurately representing products and prices, reserving items for the full duration of an active lay-by plan, completing handover within the collection window, and complying with DuelaPay’s Merchant Trust standards. Merchant fees are set out in the Merchant Agreement and vary by subscription tier (Starter, Growth, Scale, Enterprise).
10. Prohibited Use
You may not use DuelaPay to:
- Submit false or misleading information
- Impersonate another person
- Engage in fraudulent transactions
- Use the platform for any unlawful purpose
- Interfere with platform security or other users’ accounts
Violations may result in immediate account suspension, legal action, and referral to the South African Police Service.
11. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by South African law, DuelaPay’s liability to you is limited to the total amount of fees paid by you to DuelaPay in the 12 months preceding the event giving rise to the claim. DuelaPay is not liable for indirect, consequential, or punitive damages.
DuelaPay is not liable for losses resulting from events beyond our reasonable control, including load-shedding, bank system outages, or force majeure events.
12. Dispute Resolution
If you have a dispute with DuelaPay, contact us first at support@duelapay.com. We aim to resolve all disputes within 5 business days. If unresolved, disputes may be referred to the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud (CGSO):
- Website: www.cgso.org.za
- Telephone: 0860 000 272
13. Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated by email and in-app notification at least 20 business days before taking effect, in accordance with the CPA. Continued use of DuelaPay after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
14. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any disputes not resolved through Section 12 above are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the South African courts.
Duela Pay (Pty) Ltd · South Africa · legal@duelapay.com