COMPETITION TRIBUNAL OF SOUTH AFRICA
Case No: 27/CR/Mar07
In the matter between:
Competition Commission Applicant
And
Netcare Hospital Group (Pty) Ltd First Respondent
Community Hospital Group (Pty) Ltd Second Respondent
In re the large merger between
Netcare Hospital Group (Pty) Ltd Acquiring Firm
And
Community Hospital Group (Pty) Ltd Target Firm
Panel : N Manoim (Presiding Member), U Bhoola (Tribunal Member)
and Y Carrim (Tribunal Member),
Heard on : 05 December 2007
Order Issued : 10 March 2008
Reasons Issued: 10 March 2008
Failure to notify
DECISION
1] This is an application for the Tribunal to confirm a settlement agreement
reached between the Commission and the respondents in terms of section 49D
of the Competition Act (the ‘Act’).The agreement purports to settle two alleged
contraventions by the respondents. The Commission alleges that the
respondents:
a) implemented a merger without the approval of the Competition
authorities in contravention of section 13 A(3) of the Act; and
b) contravened section 4(1)(b) of the Act, in that whilst not being
members of a single economic entity, and being instead competitors,
they adopted the same pricing structure for the tariffs charged by the
hospitals in their respective groups
2] The respondents have agreed to pay a penalty of R6 million as an
administrative penalty to settle both matters. 1 The penalty is treated as a lump
sum and thus it is not clear from the agreement what proportion of the penalty
has been allocated to the respective contraventions. In oral argument Ms
Mkhwanazi, who appeared for the Commission, said that for their internal
purposes the penalty had been allocated as follows:
Failure to notify – R500 000.00
Section 4(1)(b) – R5 500 000.00
Total R6 000 000.00
3] The respondents have not done a similar exercise, but regard the quantum as
a reasonable settlement figure. 2
4] The facts of this case appear more fully in our decision in respect of the merger
1 Clause 7.1 of the agreement read with clause 7.5
2 As we discuss later, the respondents do not think that the Commission can proceed against
them under both sections for the same conduct, but as they consider the amount reasonable
in respect of the contravention of section 13A(3) they do not contest the point.
2
and need not be repeated in full here. 3 In brief, the Community Healthcare
Hospital Group (CHG), is a company that owns 5 private hospitals. CHG arose
out of the ashes of the former Malesela Group of hospitals that was liquidated
in 1999. In the first phase of its existence CHG, then nominally owned by an
attorney acting for the future shareholders, pursued a strategy of securing the
erstwhile Malesela hospitals and rights from the liquidators. In this it was
partially successful. Once these rights were secured, the nominee transferred
ownership to the current shareholders who then held shares in the following
proportions: Netcare (with a 43.75% shareholding), Community Hospital Group
(with a 43.75% shareholding), Duelco Investments 65 (Pty) Ltd (“Duelco”) (with
a 6.25% shareholding), and Private Preview Investments 27 (Pty) Ltd (“Private
Preview”) (with a 6.25% shareholding).
5] We are advised that the shareholders’ agreement was concluded in 2002 and
in terms of this agreement, Netcare and CHG Holdings, the latter the
investment vehicle of two erstwhile Malesela shareholders, Anna Mokgokong
and Joe Madugundaba enjoyed joint control of CHG. It is common cause that
this acquisition of joint control by Netcare was not notified to the Commission
and hence the sanction contained in the consent agreement. What is not clear
either to the Commission or the respondents is whether joint control may have
already been acquired before this date. The reason for this difficulty is that
Netcare was active both in the implementation of strategy around the rescue
efforts, lent money to CHG, and, once the hospitals were rescued, introduced
some of its systems into the hospitals and took over their pharmacies. Thus
Netcare is more than likely to have exercised joint control over CHG for the
period preceding the conclusion of the shareholders agreement. This period
period preceding the conclusion of the shareholders agreement. This period
was probably about 24 months. Netcare continued to exercise joint control over
the group until its decision to acquire the entire shareholding in CHG from the
other shareholders. This latter transaction to acquire the full equity, was the
subject of a notification by the respondents on 14 August 2006, and was
approved by us without conditions on 2 August 2007.
6] The nonnotification of the prior merger was only brought to the Commission’s
3 See our decision reported as Netcare Hospital Group (Pty) Ltd and Community Hospital
Group (Pty) Ltd Case No. 68/LM/Aug06.
3
attention in July 2005 when a third party, Pro Sano Medical Scheme, brought a
complaint to the Commission alleging that CHG had adopted the Netcare tariffs
for the purpose of determining its fees and that this amounted to a
contravention of section 4(1)(b) of the Act which states:
1) An agreement between, or concerted practice by, firms, or a
decision by an association of firms, is prohibited if it is between
parties in a horizontal relationship and if –
a) ...;
b) it involves any of the following:
i) directly or indirectly fixing a purchase or selling
price or any other trading condition;
ii) dividing markets by allocating customers,
suppliers, territories, or specific types of goods
and services; or
iii) collusive tendering.
7] When confronted by the Commission, Netcare’s response was to say that:
“.. after consideration of the relevant facts in the context of
section 12(2)(g) of the Act, it appeared that Netcare had
acquired control over Community, and accordingly that
Netcare and Community failed to notify this acquisition of
control.”4
Did the Commission give due weight to all the facts concerning the
section 13A(3) contravention.
4 See paragraph 3.2 of the consent order.
4
8] No explanation for the failure to notify is made in the papers nor was one given
to the Commission during negotiations in respect of the present consent
agreement.5 We can only surmise from the record in the merger hearings that
due to the limping manner in which the group was reconstituted, no ‘crystalline
moment’, to quote Netare’s counsel, emerged during the period prior to the
conclusion of the shareholders agreement at which it appeared that joint control
had arrived and hence animated the shareholders attention sufficiently to
consider notification. Even if one gives the merging parties the benefit of the
doubt due to the murky nature of legal relationships during this embryonic
period, no explanation is given to account for the period after the conclusion of
that agreement, when clarity as to the parties’ legal relationships must at last
have crystallised. 6 Given hospital groups history of interest in one another’s
mergers that has manifested itself in hearings before us it hardly seems likely
that Netcare at least, was ignorant of these considerations. Where matters of
this nature appear to have been discussed in the minutes of Netcare, the
relevant portions have been excised by the attorneys on the basis of alleged
privilege.7
9] A fair reading of the minutes suggests that Netcare had an interest in not
appearing as a controlling shareholder of CHG during its formative years. The
motive for keeping CHG’s real control structure opaque was not to escape
competition scrutiny, but rather to present CHG to the outside world as an
emerging empowerment company, an image that would have been
compromised if it was known to be subject to the control of one of the three
large private hospital groups. This appears to have been important for several
large private hospital groups. This appears to have been important for several
reasons not least of which was to ensure that the group acquired transfer of the
licences from the erstwhile Malesela group as the following passage from
Netcare’s memorandum to the board of directors dated 22 March 2001
5 According to Commissions’ counsel, “The explanation wasn’t absolutely clear as to why the
notification did not occur.”
6 Interestingly in the opinion of one of the shareholders and the chief executive of CHG who
was commenting on control of hospitals in an earlier and unrelated merger proceeding and
who stated that in his experience “ a company gets controlled by two ways. The one is by
knowledge and the other is by capital.” If this thesis is correct, Netcare which provided both
knowhow and capital to CHG after it emerged from liquidation, probably enjoyed joint control
prior to the conclusion of the shareholders agreement. See record of Business Venture
Investments and Afrox Healthcare Ltd Case number 105/LM/Dec04, page 32
7 See record of merger proceedings pages 365 and 1053 for examples.
5
suggests:
“Netcare also recognised MHG’s potential strategic appeal in
that a closer association with MHG would increase Netcare’s
network of referral and cooperative hospitals. Having committed
to the project as consultants to Malesela, the strategy was to
develop and promote a contest between Malesela and Afrox
Healthcare, a contest which was politically far more easily
manageable.
I will not herein dilate on the details of the fascinating contest
and exchange that has taken place between Malesela, the
Macmed liquidators, Afrox Healthcare, the bondholders in each
case, the bank’s creditors involved, save to record that Malesela
are emerging with a degree of credibility and honour far greater
than they previously enjoyed and have developed a groundswell
of support for their reentry into the private healthcare industry
(Afrox excluded). 8 (Our underlining)
10] Ms Mkhwanazi referred us to an earlier merger involving a takeover of the
Afrox group by a consortium. CHG, emerged as an objector and applied to
intervene in those proceedings. In the course of the intervention application, the
then chief executive officer of CHG, Dewald Dempers gave evidence and was
crossexamined on the relationship between Netcare and CHG. He alleged that
Netcare did not control CHG. This emerges from the following extract from
those proceedings where counsel for Afrox is crossexamining Dempers: 9
“ ADV SUBEL : In other words, it would be fair to say, is it not,
that Community Hospital Group (Pty) Limited and its various
subsidiaries or hospital interest is a joint venture company
between Netcare on the one hand and Community Healthcare
8 See record of merger proceedings page 1398.
9 See Business Venture Investments and Afrox Healthcare Ltd, Case number 105/LM/Dec04,
9 See Business Venture Investments and Afrox Healthcare Ltd, Case number 105/LM/Dec04,
transcript of hearing dated 8 February 2005, pages 478.
6
Holdings on the other?
MR DEMPERS : It’s jointly owned company. That’s correct sir.
ADV SUBEL : Look colloquially it’s a JV company.
MR DEMPERS : No I don’t think so.
ADV SUBEL : Well, there is a common interest at both
Netcare…
MR DEMPERS : There is a common equity holding. That’s correct sir and that’s it.
ADV SUBEL : Netcare and Community Healthcare Holdings each own 43.75% of the
shares in Community Hospital Group (Pty) Limited.
MR DEMPERS : That’s correct.
ADV SUBEL : And through that company both Netcare and the
first applicant conduct these various hospital businesses.
MR DEMPERS : No sir.
ADV SUBEL : Not?
MR DEMPERS : No.
ADV SUBEL : Well why not?
MR DEMPERS : Through that company the hospital business is
conducted. Netcare has got no control over Community
Hospital Group. It has got one Board representative out of 6
members.
ADV SUBEL : It’s represented on the Board of Community Hospital Group.
MR DEMPERS : One Board member out of six, that’s correct sir.
ADV SUBEL : Yes, and it’s as significant a shareholder in that company as is
Community Healthcare Holdings.
MR DEMPERS : That’s correct sir.
ADV SUBEL : Well does it have any more or less influence than
7
does Community Healthcare Holdings?
MR DEMPERS : It’s got much less influence than Community Healthcare Holdin gs.
ADV SUBEL : Why?
MR DEMPERS : Because of the Board representation..”
11] For this reason in our present consent order hearing the Commission’s counsel
submitted that when the Commission commenced investigating the Pro Sano
complaint, it did so on the assumption that Netcare could not control CHG.
Netcare’s representatives responded by alleging that CHG was in fact the
subject of joint control and had been at the relevant time period to which the
Pro Sano complaint related.
12] It is clear why it suits the respondents to allege joint control now faced with an
allegation that there has been collusion between Netcare and CHG. In the past,
the Commission has settled contraventions for unlawful implementation of a
merger at penalties that are miniscule in relation to those for prohibited
practices. By emphasizing joint control now, and deemphasizing the aspect of
collusion, Netcare tries to put the best face on an unfortunate set of facts.
However, as the quote from Dempers (above) illustrates, this only underlines
the cynicism with which this relationship has been used in the past. When it
suited the respondents to allege that Netcare did not have control over the
group it did so. When it became apparent that Netcare was taking sole control
then the history was glossed in an entirely different manner. Contrary to
Dempers testimony in Afrox Healthcare , Netcare now emerges as having, at
the least, joint control over CHG and indeed being the most influential of the
three shareholders.
13] There has been no change in the de jure or de facto relationship between
Netcare and CHG, that is on record, that would reconcile the evidence of
Dempers in Afrox Healthcare and the respondents’ version in the present
proceedings. In the absence of such an explanation it would appear that
Netcare’s role as a shareholder has been finessed to suit the legal exigiencies
of the moment.
8
14] It may well be that such an explanation is possible. But it is a material issue in
assessing the extent of the penalty in respect of nonnotification as it is relevant
to the consideration of whether the parties have “ cooperated with the
Commission and Tribunal” (section 59(3)(f)) and an assessment of “the
behaviour of the respondents” (59(3)(c)). In other words, even though the
respondents may have come clean when confronted at the time of the
Commission’s non –notification investigation, the Commission is entitled and
indeed ought to have had regard to the history of inconsistent explanations on
the same issues before the Competition Authorities to assess properly the
firms’ behaviour and degree of cooperation. If one or both of the respondents
had been less than frank on this issue with the competition authorities this
should be taken into account as an aggravating factor in assessing an
appropriate quantum for the penalty.
15] In our view, the Commission by failing to seek a satisfactory explanation on this
aspect has given no consideration or insufficient weight to this issue in
considering an appropriate penalty.
16] Another criticism we have of the Commission’s approach is the fact that it
entered into the consent order prior to the conclusion of the merger hearing. As
a matter of law it could do so. However, by settling prematurely the
Commission was not able to assess the degree to which the illegal
implementation compromised its ability to investigate the merger. As we
pointed out in the merger decision, the prior implementation had affected the
9
ability of the Commission to conduct its investigation. 10 Ms Mkwhanazi very
candidly conceded this point in argument and stated
MS MKHWANAZI: Chair we fully accept, you know,
that that is in fact the position and it presented the
difficulties the Commission faced in making its case
during the merger hearing and we did look at the
reasons and did contemplate revisiting. Perhaps what
we do accept in fact not perhaps we do accept that the
agreement was concluded much earlier than the merger
was finalized and at the time we may not have
anticipated that the prime implementation would present
the very difficulties that we faced during the merger
hearing.
This is basically you know the submission that I’ve
made earlier that we you know gun jumping does
pose you know a significant difficulty to the
Commission and to yourselves as the Tribunal in
evaluating the mergers and while we would like a
message to be send out to firms that in fact this
conduct cannot be accepted.
17] We certainly cannot say that if the Commission had been able to overcome
these difficulties the merger would have been prohibited, but what the prior
implementation did achieve was to prevent the optimal adjudication of the
10 “ ... Many of the witnesses, including some solicited by the merging parties, seem
concerned about the private hospital sector. What they have not been able to say is that the
merger has contributed to this problem or whether it is a problem inherent in the present
market structure, dominated as it is by the three major groups. Without such testimony it is
difficult to impugn this merger. Whether such testimony might have been forthcoming if the
merger had not been implemented already for some years, is one of those imponderables we
merger had not been implemented already for some years, is one of those imponderables we
cannot resolve. We can certainly say that many of the funder witnesses found it difficult to
conceptualise and independent CHG – something they had never known – and then to
hypothesise as to how it might have behave differently outside of Netcare’s grasp. That this
has redounded to the benefit of Netcare in defending the merger and to the detriment of the
Commission in opposing it is also clear. It reinforces why under our system prior
implementation is unlawful.” See page 41 of our reasons for decision in the merger
proceedings.
10
issues. Given that the Commission was of the view that the merger should be
prohibited and that some industry representatives expressed concern during
the course of the hearing – it is by no means a forgone conclusion that if the
merger had been heard in the normal course i.e. at a stage before it was
implemented that it would have been approved unconditionally.
18] The Commission pointed out in argument that historically contraventions of
section 13A(3) had not attracted high penalties – certainly they are dwarfed by
the size of penalties in prohibited practice cases. This observation is certainly
correct. It may well be that reconsideration of this approach is long overdue.
However in this case we have a failure to notify accompanied by
implementation of the merger, a status that had already existed for a period of
between six to seven years by the time of the adjudication of the merger in
June 2007. The long duration of the implementation of a merger that was not
without competition implications despite our eventual decision to approve it
unconditionally, deserves a penalty that reflects the serious nature of this
conduct.
19] If administrative penalties are about deterring wrongful conduct then the
present penalties exhibit insufficient disincentive on firms not to notify – and
indeed firms may well construe low penalties as an acceptable cost of doing
business if prior implementation impedes proper adjudication. 11
Was the Commission correct to regard this as both a contravention of section
13A and section 4(1)(b)?
20] Although not argued as a point of objection to the present consent order,
Netcare has argued that it is artificial to allege that the firm has both
implemented a merger without consent and contravened section 4. Were we to
implemented a merger without consent and contravened section 4. Were we to
confirm the order it would not be necessary to consider this argument. Given
that we have referred the matter back, it would be necessary for us to give the
parties our prima facie view on this matter, should they choose to negotiate
another consent order.
11 See our merger decision for more on the implications of why under our merger system
prior implementation frustrates proper adjudication of a merger.
11
21] In our view, the approach taken by the Commission is correct. Jurisprudentially
these are separate and distinctive contraventions of the Act. Not all unlawful
implementations of a merger involve at the same time a prohibited practice.
Thus a vertical merger or a conglomerate merger, or a merger between firms in
the same line of production who were not competitors in the same market
would typically not give rise to a prohibited practice even if implemented
unlawfully.
22] The respondents argue that because the merger not notified was about joint
control, had the merger been approved, Netcare and CHG (jointly controlled by
Netcare) would have been considered as a single economic entity and thus it
would be artificial to say that it had both failed to notify and contravened section
4.
23] The problem with this argument is that it equates the consequences of joint
control and sole control. Our jurisprudence and that of other jurisdictions has
treated them as separate notions and for very sound reasons – a firm that is
subject to joint control does not necessarily have controllers with the same
incentives. 12 Thus Netcare in considering pricing or investment decisions may
have regard for how those decisions in CHG in which it has only a 43.75 %
interest impact on its much larger interests in Netcare which it wholly owns.
CHG Holdings, which has no hospital interests outside of CHG, may have had
a different view, and as a long as they both enjoyed joint control, an outcome
may have been different from that of Netcare, as sole controller.
24] Thus without a full merger Netcare and CHG cannot be considered part of a
single economic entity for the purpose of section 4. Absent an exemption in
terms of section 10, firms setting prices together can validly be found to
12 See ICI/Tioxide 1991 (4) CMLR 854 where it was stated that: “... because decisive
influences exercised solely is substantially different to decisive influence exercised jointly,
since the latter has to take into account the potentially different interests of the other party or
parties concerned .. By changing the quality of decisive influence exercised by ICI on Tioxide,
the transaction will bring about a durable change of the structure of the concerned parties.”
(This statement was quoted with approval by the Tribunal in Iscor limited and Saldanha Steel
(Pty) Ltd Case No. 67/LM/Dec01 on page 7).
12
contravene section 4 of the Act. This means that the Act of unlawful prior
implementation and the contravention of section 4 constitute distinct
contraventions, and the same set of facts may validly give rise to a
contravention of both, without there being a suggestion that there has been a
splitting of charges. However, and the Commission concedes this, to the extent
of assessing the quantum of a penalty, it would be appropriate to have regard
to the fact that the harm caused by one may overlap with the harm caused by
the other, although they are not necessarily fully coextensive. Thus if the harm
caused by nonnotification led to a collusive outcome and higher prices, then
this would overlap with the harm associated with the contravention of section 4.
Was the assessment of the collusion penalty appropriate?
25] Although the Act does not require one to do so, it has been past practice of the
Commission and Tribunal to fine a firm not on its entire turnover in the relevant
financial year, but what has been termed the ‘affected’ turnover. By affected
turnover we mean the turnover in the line of business in which the prohibited
practice occurred. In this case the Commission has followed that approach and
determined that the affected turnover was that of CHG only. There is no
warrant for limiting the affected turnover in this restrictive manner in respect of
either the section 4or section 13A(3) contravention. The Commission’s rationale
seems to be that the adverse affects of the collusion would only have been
reflected by a rise CHG’s price for its services – because it was the junior
partner in the collusion – and completely dwarfed by Netcare which would have
charged the same prices for its services irrespective of whether the collusion
took place. This is a dangerous basis for assessing cartel penalties and takes
took place. This is a dangerous basis for assessing cartel penalties and takes
the notion of affected turnover too far. Whilst a relevant limit to affected
turnover may be to limit the firms to overlapping turnover in respect of section
4, it is wholly artificial and bad policy to limit the affected turnover further to that
of the junior partner. We know of no precedent for treating firms involved in
cartel activities in such a liberal manner.
26] In relation to calculating the affected turnover of the parties for the purpose of
the section 13(A)(3) violation, there is even less warrant for determining the
13
turnover by reference to that of the one party only. This can lead to serious
under deterrence. Of course once the correct affected turnover has been
assessed, the Commission in deciding on an appropriate level for the fine can
reduce the level of the fine by taking factors into account that seem to be
common cause in this case for example:
a) the affect of the central bargaining process in the sector that
was only prohibited by the Commission’s enforcement of a
consent order in 2003; 13
b) the degree to which CHG’s independent pricing power may
have impacted that of Netcare.
27] However, one should not confuse the extent of the affect of conduct with
affected turnover. In a collusion case all the turnover of overlapping activities is
at the very least part of affected turnover. In a merger nonnotification case the
same would hold.
28] On the present figures, if Netcares’ hospital turnover in SA was taken into
account and added to that of CHG, then the present fine would constitute a tiny
fraction of this figure less than 1%. 14 This is miniscule indeed and pales in
comparison with other penalties set in prohibited practice cases. 15
29] For all these reasons whilst we do not take a view on what an appropriate
13 The central bargaining meant that for some period of the violation hospitals were charging
uniform prices to funders.
14 This would be arrived at by taking a combined turnover of R6 824 686 337.00 being
R298 286 337.00 for CHG, the present figure used by the Commission and the figure of
R6 526.4m, the hospital turnover of Netcare in South Africa according to its Group Audited
Results, page 21. The Group Audited Results do not show whether or not the turnover figure
Results, page 21. The Group Audited Results do not show whether or not the turnover figure
for Netcare’s hospitals in South Africa also include the CHG turnover. See Netcare’s Group
Audited Results on page 7 of the record and CHG’s Consolidated Annual Financial
Statements on page 27 of the record.
15 See for instance Competition Commission v Federal Mogul Aftermarket Southern Africa
(Pty) Ltd & Others Case 08/CR/Mar01 , where the penalty was 4.97% of turnover, Harmony
Gold Mining Company Limited and Durban Roodepoort Deep Limited v Mittal Steel South
Africa and Macsteel International BV Case 13/CR/Feb07 , where the penalty was 5.5% of
turnover and Competition Commission v Tiger Consumer Brands (Pty) Ltd 15/CR/Feb07 , a
collusion case, where the penalty was 5.7% of turnover.
14
penalty should be, we believe that the present agreement is inappropriately low
and that we cannot approve it. Whilst we encourage parties to negotiate
settlements with the Commission and believe this is in both the public interest
and the interests of affected parties, we cannot sanction agreements which fall
far short of the standard of an appropriate penalty. For the reasons, given the
Commission has failed to give due weight to certain considerations or taken
them into account at all and has erred in calculating the affected turnover, an
appropriate penalty, absent a satisfactory explanation to some of the concerns
we have raised, should be substantially higher than the present one.
30] We also raise one technical issue which does not affect the substance of our
analysis. Although the consent order has been brought in terms of section 49D
of the Act, that procedure is only available for prohibited practices, i.e the
section 4 contravention not the section 13(A)3 contravention. This is because
section 49D is expressly limited to settlements in prohibited practice cases.
31] However, there is no bar on parties agreeing to the terms of a ‘settlement order’
to settle disputes over litigation concerning other contraventions of the Act over
which we exercise jurisdiction. As the Competition Appeal Court held in the
context of prohibited practice cases which get settled after the referral comes to
the Tribunal:
“The Tribunal is entitled – at any time while it is seized with the matter
– to make an order proposed and agreed to by the respondent
provided only that it acts in accordance with the requirements of just
administrative action that is lawful, reasonable and procedurally fair.
And, of course, that it is thereafter satisfied that the order is
appropriate”16
32] The procedural distinction between a consent order and a settlement
32] The procedural distinction between a consent order and a settlement
agreement, does not detract from the fact that in exercising our discretion to
confirm the order or to refuse to do so, we exercise our discretion from the
16 See the decision of the CAC in Glaxo Smith Kline South Africa v David Lewis N.O. &
Others Case No. 62/CAC/Apr06 page 24.
15
same vantage point – do the terms of the settlement adequately protect the
public interest? ( See American Natural Soda Ash Corporation and Another v
Competition Commission of SA and Others (2005) 1 CPLR 1 (SCA). 17
33] In this case for the reasons that we have given earlier, we do not believe that
the present agreement whether viewed in terms of our discretion to approve
consent agreements in terms of section 49D or in terms of our more general
powers to approve an appropriate settlement as an order of the Tribunal
adequately safeguards the public interest, and for that reason, we refuse to
make the order sought. 18
________________ 10 March 2008
N Manoim DATE
Tribunal Member
U Bhoola and Y Carrim concur in the judgment of N Manoim
Tribunal Researcher : R Kariga
For the merging parties: D Unterhalter (SC) assisted by J Wilson, instructed by
Webber Wentzel Bowens Attorneys
For the Commission : W Mkwanazi, M Worsely and N Mokuena
17 In that case the court held in the context of prohibited practice cases that the orders the
tribunal can give “ are of a limited kind to be made in the pubic interest.”
18 See Glaxo Smith Kline South Africa v David Lewis N.O. & Others on page 19 where it is
stated that: “The Commission Acts on behalf of the South African Republic and, in particular,
the South African consumers whenever it investigates a complaint, evaluates the results and
determines whether or not to refer the matter to the Tribunal for adjudication”.
16