DA walks out on competition Bill deliberations

Parliament’s Economic Development Committee has postponed its deliberations on the Competition Amendment Bill after the DA walked out of Tuesday’s meeting. A Business Day report notes the Bill is intended to provide for an extension of the mandate of the competition authorities and the executive to tackle high levels of economic concentration, limited transformation in the SA economy and abuse of market power by dominant firms. Aspects of the proposed legislation have been criticised by stakeholders who argue they may deter foreign investment. Committee chair Elsie Mmathulare Coleman said the DA’s walkout affected the committee’s quorum. DA MP Michael Cardo said he decided to walk out after an ‘egregious display of Stalinist chairing by the committee chair, Elsie Mmathulare Coleman, who tried to prevent us from posing questions to Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel’. The Bill, tabled in Parliament on 11 July, ‘is being railroaded through the committee without proper interrogation’, he said. ‘If it is enacted … the Bill could increase the cost of doing business, deter foreign investors and kill jobs … It is unfortunate that Coleman seems to be more concerned with her re-election prospects than doing justice to a key piece of legislation,’ he said.