Keeping things fair in the business race

The purpose of the Competition Act 89 of 1998(“the Act”) is to promote the efficiency, adaptability, and development of the economy, and to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises have equitable opportunities. Certain practices, including restrictive horizontal practices, restrictive vertical practices, and abuse of dominance, are prohibited in terms of the Competition Act. The Competition Act 89 of 1998 (“the …

When is a consumer entitled to a refund?

Despite tough economic circumstances amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, shops continue to advertise big sales, discounts, and promotional offers. Whether it is Black Friday, Boxing Day, or just an end-of-season sale, there seems to always be a reason for a sale. The question that the consumer may have is: What if I buy something, on a sale or otherwise, and later change my mind about it — am I always …

What’s next for struggling businesses?

South Africa has been experiencing very slow economic growth and international rating agencies have subsequently downgraded South Africa’s investment outlook to “junk status”. This, and a myriad of other factors, have negatively impacted South African businesses, especially small and medium business enterprises. Many of these struggling enterprises are now at a crossroads: do they continue trading and hope that things …