FRESH PRODUCE MARKET INQUIRY

• The Competition Commission published a provisional report on findings and recommendations emerging from its fresh produce market inquiry. An accompanying media statement called for public comments. Among other things the report’s executive summary draws attention to a raft of shortcomings in municipal fresh produce markets nationwide, while the report itself makes several recommendations for addressing them, including:
  • improved infrastructure maintenance
  • measures for strengthening operating and governance procedures
  • funding suggestions
  • ways to facilitate access by small-scale farmers and those from historically disadvantaged communities, and
  • reforms to the system of appointing market agents and holding them to account.

 

COMPETITION ACT

• The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition called for public comments on a draft block exemption that could see port and rail industry stakeholders entering into agreements and/or participating in certain practices otherwise prohibited under the Act. Once in place, the block exemption is expected to facilitate the level of ‘collaboration’ deemed necessary to:
  • ‘reduce costs, improve services and minimise losses caused by operational inefficiencies and infrastructure capacity shortages’, and
  • ‘resolve … challenges’ being experienced across the ports and rail sector, including:
    • widespread rail network and port infrastructure dysfunction, as well as
    • the poor co-ordination of traffic flow between South Africa’s ports.

 

WASTE MANAGEMENT

• The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment gazetted a draft policy on electrical and electronic equipment waste management for public comment. Underpinned by extended producer responsibility regulatory imperatives and circular economy commitments, the purpose of the proposed new policy is to create ‘new economic opportunities’ that nevertheless:
  • offer ‘decent, … safe working conditions’, and
  • protect the environment from the leakages associated with end-of-life products and components.

 

AUTOMOTIVE DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION PROGRAMME

• The International Trade Administration Commission gazetted draft amendments to regulations apparently in place since July 2022, calling for public comments. Informed by the automotive masterplan and recommendations in the electric vehicles White Paper, once in force the amendments will make certain customs duty rebates and refunds available to the qualifying manufacturers of specific motor vehicles:
  • either fitted with ‘a combination of … engine and electric motor or other means of propulsion’, or
  • entirely dependent on ‘an electric motor or other means of propulsion’.

 

 

Prepared by Pam Saxby