14 Dec 2017

Parliament has passed the Competition Bill No. 22 of 2017, which seeks to establish Competition Authority under the new name of Competition and Consumer Authority.

The Bill will also establish Competition and Consumer Tribunal as well as separate the Competition Authority and Competition Commission and brings along the implementation of the Consumer Protection Act under the ambit of the Competition Authority.

When presenting the Bill to Parliament recently, Assistant Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Biggie Butale said prominent reasons for the amendment of the Act included the establishment of an independent tribunal as a quasi-judicial body and the separation of the Competition Authority and Competition Commission.

Meanwhile, legislators supported the draft Consumer Protection Bill No. 23 of 2017, which was also presented by Minister Butale.

The Bill seeks to provide for the protection of the interests of consumers by means on investigation, prohibition and control of unfair business practices and to provide for matters incidental thereto.

MP for Tlokweng, Mr Kenneth Segokgo said the draft Bill was a welcome development as the rights of consumers were for a long time violated.

“It is good that the Bill has interests of the consumers and will deal with matters relating to unfair anti-business practices,” he said.

MP for Nata-Gweta, Mr Polson Majaga said the Consumer Protection Bill should be decentralised at district level to reach wider public, to ensure rural communities understand their rights as consumers.

Mr Majaga said deploying officers at districts would assist in ensuring that retailers at rural areas do not exploit the rural communities through regular inspection of shops.

MP for Shoshong, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele said he was delighted that the Bill finally reached Parliament at the time the public was exploited by retailers who sell expired products.

MP for Mahalapye West, Mr Joseph Molefhe called on consumer affairs officers to monitor pricing of goods as some dealers  overcharge clients because they do not convert Rand prices to  Pula. ENDS