IFP MEDIA STATEMENT BY: 
MR HENNIE BEKKER MP
IFP SPOKESPERSON ON ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

13 February 2008

The Inkatha Freedom Party is extremely concerned with reports that Tiger Brands' health-care unit Adcock Ingram and several smaller health-care groups face the threat of huge fines for allegedly colluding to fix tenders and prices. 

The incident is highlighted at a time when the public is being hit by rising petrol, food, electricity and health care costs and it also comes shortly after Tiger Brands were fined R98.8 million following the bread price-fixing scandal. 

We also note that the fine paid by Tiger Brands did not benefit any of the victims.  

The IFP would therefore like to call on the National Treasury to amend their regulations on the deposit of Competition Commission fines into the Revenue fund and to rather provide for the victims of anti-competitive behaviour to benefit in a direct manner. 

We believe that government should not be the main beneficiaries of this scandalous behaviour of consumer goods groups, but that the poorest of the poor and especially HIV sufferers should benefit if Tiger Brands is to receive another fine from this latest scandal.