/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

In this proposed transaction, New Holdco seeks to acquire Edgars Consolidated Stores Ltd (ECSL) and post-merger, New Holdco will control ECSL.
 
In its assessment of the proposed transaction, the Commission found no competition or public interest concerns. It did, however, find that the Edcon Group could be liquidated/placed under business rescue should the proposed transaction not proceed. It found that the proposed transaction would preserve jobs within the Edcon Group.
 
The Commission recommended that the proposed transaction should be approved, subject to conditions that the Edcon Group endeavours to avoid job losses, increases procurement from local suppliers and maintains BEE participation.
 
 
Power cable companies admit to collusion in City Power tender –
Tribunal to consider their consent agreements
 
Two power cable companies – which have admitted to collusive tendering in respect of a City Power tender – will on Thursday ask the Tribunal to confirm their respective settlements with the Commission.
 
The settlements deal with a collusive agreement between Freefall Trading 1071 CC (trading as Indlovu Enterprises) and Cables for Africa CC. The companies admit that they discussed their bids and agreed on prices submitted for the tender.
 
Both companies, which provide fault location and testing services on power cables, have agreed to pay administrative penalties and have undertaken to implement and monitor competition law compliance programmes.
 
Meanwhile, the Commission is of the view that the companies had also tried to subvert the BEE Act while engaging in the collusive behaviour in relation to the tender.
 
In its investigation, the Commission found that Indlovu had a better BEE level rating than Cables for Africa. It also found that the companies had agreed that whenever Indlovu won a tender, it should subcontract the work to Cables for Africa which was not BEE compliant.
 
 
Furniture removal company, accused of price fixing, seeks further information from Commission
 
In this interlocutory application (proceedings that deal with a specific issue in a matter already before the Tribunal), Elliot Mobility is asking the Tribunal to order the Commission to produce certain documents.
 
These relate to the Commission’s knowledge of the allegations, its decision to investigate the matter and its decision to refer the matter to the Tribunal for prosecution, among others.
 
In the main matter, the Commission alleges that in 2014, Elliot Mobility and eleven (11) other furniture removal companies entered into an agreement and/or engaged in a concerted practice to fix the rate that customers would pay when transporting furniture using Gauteng’s e-toll highways.
 
The Commission claims that the furniture removal companies agreed to quote an average levy of R350 over and above furniture removal costs to counter the effects of e-tolls.

Issued by The Competition Tribunal