Forwarders ‘not off the hook’ for price-fixing

The major freight forwarders involved in last October’s high-level investigation into price-fixing for fuel and other surcharges are not yet off the hook, according to the Competition Commission (CC). The raids were conducted by the CC in conjunction with its counterparts from the European Commission and the US Department of Justice – where similar investigations were under way. Evidence was collected during the raids – intended to determine whether or not the implicated companies had in fact engaged in cartel activity as suspected. In overseas markets, Thulani Kunene, manager for the CC’s enforcements and exemptions division told FTW, cartel behaviour is a criminal offence where executives regularly go to jail for pricefixing and bid-rigging. But, added CC’s Neo Chabane, who is supervising the probe, nothing has been finalised yet – either locally or overseas. “I am confirming that we are still busy with the investigation,” she told FTW, “and analysing the information we gathered during the raids.”