UNCOMPETITIVE DEALS
Commission set to wrap up probe into school uniform sector collusion
Parents angry that suspected collusion costs them thousands of rand in uniforms, pushing up the costs of education
The Competition Commission’s probe into the supply of school uniforms has so far established that various schools had made exclusive supply deals with stockists, a practice that is considered uncompetitive. In the past two years, the commission has been investigating allegations of collusion in the sector, a trend parents felt was driving costs higher. If confirmed, the finding by the commission would affirm parents’ suspicions at a time when many are forking out thousands of rand in uniforms, pushing up the costs of education. Commission spokesman Sipho Ngwema on Friday said he was confident that the commission was about to conclude and announce the outcome of its investigation into suspected price fixing in the school uniform sector. The probe was initiated in April 2015 when school governing bodies noticed that stockists were emerging as direct and sole suppliers to schools for uniforms at the beginning of each academic year, allowing them to determine prices and lock other suppl...
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