Public Hearing

Details

Created on Thursday, 29 January 2015 07:12

In a quest to increase awareness and satisfy due process on the enforcement of competition law and policy, the Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) has organised a public hearing to be held on Friday 30th January 2015 at Game Haven Lodge in Bvumbwe.

During the public hearing, the CFTC Secretariat will present provisional findings of the investigations that they have been conducting to the Technical Committee of the Commission for adjudication. As part of the adjudication process, the Technical Committee will also receive testimonies or submissions from interested parties.

CFTC Executive Director Charlotte Wezi Malonda said the public hearings are an important feature in the case adjudication process as they provide a platform to interested parties to be heard before a decision is made. This is done regardless of whether the findings are favourable or not to the parties involved.

Malonda said:    

"High standards of openness, fairness and transparency in the enforcement of competition and fair trading cases is key to achieving voluntary compliance and satisfying due process of law. The holding of this public hearing underlines our desire to follow principles of natural justice in the adjudication of competition cases and satisfy due process for parties involved".

The public hearing will help Commissioners to make an informed decision on specific issues or cases under investigation.

Some of the cases that will come up at the hearing are as follows:

• Proposed acquisition of ISP Business of Burco Electronic Systems Ltd by Telekom Networks Malawi Limited (TNM) 

• Proposed acquisition of Group One Armoured and Armed Security Services by Kenya Kazi Services Limited

• Report on alleged unfair trading practices by NBS Bank in the disposal of Group Developments Limited to Gillanders 

• Report an alleged supply of products that are likely to cause injury to health or physical harm by Carlsberg Malawi Ltd

• Report on allegations of running a promotion with no intention of supplying prizes by MBC

• Report on allegations of excluding liability for defective products by Sogecoa Golden Peacock Supermarket

• Report on alleged sale of expired products by Shoprite Trading (Malawi) Ltd

• Report on alleged misleading conduct and misleading advertising by Telekom Networks Malawi Ltd (TNM)

• Report on alleged misleading conduct by Malawi Telecommunications Ltd (MTL).

The CFTC is inviting any person or enterprise, who in their opinion, will be affected or are likely to be affected by the findings of the investigations carried out by the CFTC, to request to be heard during the hearing.