Parliament, Tuesday, 2 October 2018 – The Portfolio Committee on Economic Development today continued to consider amendments to the Competition Amendment Bill brought to the Committee by the Minister of Economic Development.
The proposed amendments address concerns about the high barriers to entry and concentration in South African markets, which are believed to impede the ability of small and medium business and those owned by historically disadvantaged persons to compete effectively or to operate sustainably in the market. Therefore, amendments to the market inquiry provisions and abuse of dominance provisions are some of the key proposed changes.
The Minister of Economic Development, Mr Ebrahim Patel, responded to the amendments on the Bill as made by the portfolio committee after considering public submissions and having listened to the oral presentations by stakeholders on the bill.
However, the Democratic Alliance (DA), which had been part of committee meetings since the bill was introduced, walked out of the meeting. This affected the committee’s quorum.
As this piece of legislation impacts positively on the people by addressing economic emancipation and taking them out of poverty and deprivation, the walkout was very unfortunately, the Committee Chairperson, Ms Elsie Mmathulare Coleman, said. The committee has been transparent and inclusive in its dealings, but as this is political terrain, people use it for their own benefit, Ms Coleman said. She called on members to do their constitutional duty.
In accordance with the National Assembly rules and regulations, the committee will adopt the amendments when there is a quorum.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMEMT, MS ELSIE MMATHULARE COLEMAN.
For media enquiries of interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer.
Name: Sureshinee Govender
Cell: 081 704 1109
E-mail: sugovender@parliament.gov.za
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