Acts Online
GT Shield

Competition Act, 1998 (Act No. 89 of 1998)

Regulations

Block Exemption Regulations for Small, Micro and Medium-Sized Businesses, 2024

7 - 8. Legal framework

 

7. The legal framework for assessing horizontal agreements between firms is section 4(1) of the Act, which states as follows:

 

"4. Restrictive horizontal practices prohibited
(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) It has the effect of substantially preventing, or lessening, competition in a market, unless a party to the agreement, concerted practice, or decision can prove that any technological efficiency or other pro-competitive gain resulting from it outweighs that effect; or
(b) it involves any of the following restrictive horizontal practices:
(i) directly or indirectly fixing a purchase or selling price or any other trading condition;
(ii) dividing markets by allocating market shares, customers, suppliers, territories, or specific types of goods or services; or
(iii) collusive tendering."

 

8. The legal framework for assessing vertical agreements between firms is section 5(1) of the Act, which states as follows:

 

"5. Restrictive vertical practices prohibited
(1) An agreement between parties in a vertical relationship is prohibited if it has the effect of substantially preventing or lessening competition in a market, unless a party to the agreement can prove that any technological, efficiency or other pro-competitive, gain resulting from that agreement outweighs that effect."