The Minister for Economic Development, Ebrahim Patel, remarked during the recent budget vote speech that the Competition Commission's market inquiry into the private healthcare sector will commence in September.

This is the first market inquiry in South Africa and was initiated in terms of Chapter 4A of the Competition Act, which empowers the Commission to conduct formal market enquiries in respect of the "general state of competition in a market for particular goods or services without necessarily identifying conduct or activities by a particular named firm".

In terms of section 43B, the Commission may initiate an inquiry when it has "reason to believe that any feature or combination of features of a market for any goods or services prevents, distorts or restricts competition within that market".