COMPETITION COMMISSION
Education department urged to oversee access to uniforms
The Department of Basic Education needs to improve its oversight role to ensure all school pupils have access to affordable and quality uniforms, while creating an environment for emerging and existing suppliers to work together to boost production, says the Competition Commission of SA. The commission has released some of its preliminary findings into school uniform cartels. Its probe began in 2015 after parents complained about costs and limited stocks. The commission has recommended that legislation needs to be revisited to remove "ambiguous language". Although the Schools Act does give guidelines on uniforms, it leaves the responsibility of uniform requirements mainly to school governing bodies. The commission has also recommended that the implementation of and interpretation of legislation be monitored by the department’s district officials on a regular basis. Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga did not agree with the notion that uniforms limited access to education for th...
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