Solar energy firm agrees to pay Competition Commission penalty, but without admission of guilt
The Competition Tribunal has confirmed, as an order, a consent agreement in which Gauteng-based solar energy firm Pacific Solar has agreed to pay a R200 000 administrative penalty after it was accused of collusion by the Competition Commission.
Although Pacific Solar agrees to the terms of the consent agreement, including paying the R200 000 administrative penalty, it does not admit that it contravened the Act, as alleged by the commission.
The consent agreement stems from two separate complaints against Pacific Solar and another company for alleged collusive tendering related to two separate tenders involving the Council for Geoscience (CGS) and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE).
The tender issued by the CGS in 2021 was for the supply and delivery of multi-functional drill rigs with service and maintenance for a period of three years. The DMRE tender was for the appointment of a panel of nongrid service providers to supply, install and maintain solar home systems for a three-year period.
In October 2021, the CGS submitted a complaint to the commission alleging that Pacific Solar and the other company had agreed or engaged in a concerted practice to tender collusively when responding to its tender.
The commission said its investigation found that the firms had assisted each other in preparing and pricing their bids.
In May 2022, the DMRE submitted a separate complaint to the commission, alleging that the two firms had tendered collusively in response to its tender.
The commission again concluded that the companies had assisted each other to prepare and price their bids in response to the DMRE tender.
Article Enquiry
Email Article
Save Article
Feedback
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
Comments
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
As one of South Africa's leading manufacturers, Bell Equipment distributes and exports its wide range of heavy equipment globally to mining,...
VISIT SHOWROOM
SafeQuip is a leading distributor and manufacturer of fire safety solutions, offering a comprehensive range of products designed to meet all...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
