The accompanying Notice to this Annexure sets out the decision by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition to designate the Sugar Industry under section 10(3)(b)(iv) of the Competition Act, which would enable the processing of an appropriate exemption by the competition authorities to enable implementation of the proposed Sugar Masterplan. It is the objective of the Masterplan to promote inter alia employment stability, transformation and sector growth and the designation is intended to enable these goals to be achieved.

The designation of the sugar industry in terms of the Competition Act is part of a two-step process, which will be followed by an exemption from the Competition Act by the Competition Commission. This exemption will allow for collaboration by sugar industry stakeholders as they work together towards the objectives of the Sugar Masterplan.