Busbud Sold Tickets for Cancelled Ilula Service – Refund Required

I purchased two Ilula bus tickets through Busbud for travel from Cape Town to Queenstown on 23 December (18:00).

Booking references: • 110117 • 110118

On arrival at the bus station at 15:00, we were informed that Ilula buses were not operating that day. This was the first notification received — no prior communication was sent by either Ilula or Busbud.

Because we only became aware of the cancellation on the day of travel, I was unable to cancel within Busbud’s 24-hour cancellation policy. The service was not rendered.

While Ilula is the operator, Busbud is the platform that sold and facilitated the transaction, and therefore shares responsibility for ensuring that listed services are reliable and that customers are informed of cancellations. It is concerning that Ilula continues to be listed on Busbud despite a long-standing pattern of negative customer reviews and complaints, many of which raise similar issues regarding cancellations and lack of communication.

By continuing to list and sell tickets for a service with a well-documented history of poor performance, Busbud contributes to the resulting consumer harm when services are not delivered.

In terms of the Consumer Protection Act, 68 of 2008, consumers are entitled to a full refund where a service is not rendered due to supplier failure, regardless of cancellation policy. I am requesting Busbud’s urgent assistance in processing a full refund for both bookings. Proof of booking and payment is attached.