MINISTER PATEL ANNOUNCES MEASURES TO SUPPORT INDUSTRY

The Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition (MITC), Ebrahim Patel, has provided details of the measures to be implemented to support industry, especially small businesses, and trade. Trade-related measures will impact not only South Africa but also of course our trading partners and especially our neighbours in Africa. South Africa’s logistics, freight forwarding, wholesale and retail distribution services play an extremely important role in the food and essential goods supply chain in southern Africa and further into many other African countries.

List prices for goods essential to the containment of the virus have been introduced by National Treasury as well as flexibilities, to ease certain provisions in the Public Finance Management Act, to speed up procurement processes. Competition law provisions pertaining to cooperation and some concerted practices are suspended, so that cooperation across supply chains, in wholesale, retail and financial services, for example, can facilitate greater efficiencies and access to food, medical supplies and other essential products.

A list of 22 critical products and categories has been drawn up. This includes food products (such as rice, maize meal, milk, canned vegetables and meat), personal care products (including toilet paper, baby formula and nappies), hygiene products (such as disinfectant, hand sanitiser, and cleaning agents), as well as medical supplies (such as surgical masks and gloves). The National Consumer and Competition Commission is to monitor closely to ensure that these products will not be subject to unjustified price increases.