"The board are satisfied that it has done its duty in policing and stopping the illegal lottery," the board said in a statement on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
It said Vodacom was instructed on Monday to cease the competition, and the company complied by midnight.<\/p>\n
The board said it was not able to help consumers legally who felt they might have been prejudiced by the competition.<\/p>\n
Vodacom maintained on Tuesday that its competition had been legal.<\/p>\n
Managing director Shameel Joosub said: "Whilst Vodacom remains of the opinion that the '100 cars 100 days' promotional competition is legal, the company took a decision to end the '100 cars 100 days' promotion at midnight 18 February 2008."<\/p>\n
The competition entailed an invitation by Vodacom to subscribers to enter by sending an SMS at a cost of R10, giving them a shot winning a BMW car.<\/p>\n
This led to some people spending thousands of rands on SMS messages, without realising they were running up such huge cellphone bills.<\/p>\n
Joosub said on Tuesday a final draw would take place Tuesday at which the remaining BMWs would be allocated to winners.<\/p>\n
"As the promotional competition has almost reached the end of its cycle and Vodacom believes that it is in all parties' interests to draw the promotion to a close," Joosub said in a statement.<\/p>\n
"A final draw will take place on 19 February 2008, at which all the remaining BMWs will be allocated to winners."<\/p>\n
National Consumer Forum chairman Thami Bolani supported the closing of the competition, saying he believed it amounted to a harmful business practice.<\/p>\n
He advised people who might feel they lost money unjustifiably, to contact their local Consumer Advice offices.<\/p>\n
Gauteng's office had a Consumer Affairs Court which could order compensation if it found in a consumer's favour, Bolani said.<\/p>\n