On 22 December 2015, the South African Petroleum Industry Association ( "SAPIA ") and its members applied to the Competition Commission of South Africa ( "Commission ") in terms of Section 10(1)(b) of the Competition Act No 89 of 1998, as amended (the "Act ") to be exempted from certain provisions of Section 4 of the Act. The exemption was sought for a period of five (5) years from 1 January 2016 ending on 31 December 2020.