ESSENTIAL FOOD PRICES

• The Competition Commission has published its latest essential food price report.
• According to an accompanying media statement, the report:
  • ‘expands’ on the Commission’s previous work by:
    • ‘focusing on the sunflower oil value chain and the role of sunflower seed prices as a driver of retail and producer prices’
    • examines other basic commodities, including bread, maize meal and fresh produce, and
  • draws attention to:
    • ‘the importance of Eastern European countries to the global supply of sunflower seeds and edible oils’
    • ‘South Africa’s position as a net importer of sunflower seeds’
    • ‘risks posed by the Eastern European conflict’, and the fact that
    • ‘processor prices have increased by far more than sunflower seed prices’.
  • In that context, the report alerts consumers to the possibility of ‘opportunistic’ increases in the price of sunflower oil.

BIODIVERSITY

• The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has gazetted a revised framework for implementation, covering the years 2019-2024. It follows the sustainable management and conservation framework published last week.

JUSTICE

• The Rules Board for Courts of Law has gazetted adjustments to fees, tariffs and allowances related to proceedings in:
  • various provincial and local divisions of the High Court, and
  • the Magistrates’ Courts.

• Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola has issued:
  • a determination prescribing the categories of professionals suitable for serving as intermediaries under the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977
  • a determination prescribing the categories of professionals suitable for serving as intermediaries under the Superior Courts Act, 2013, and the Magistrates’ Courts Act, 1944, and
  • a certificate of competency template.

Prepared by Pam Saxby