School can't impose uniform suppliers to parents: Competition Commission

11 October 2018 8:56 AM

The principal of Table View Primary sent letters to parents informing them about the school uniform supplier they had signed a contract with.

The letter stated that in terms of that contract, no other supplier could provide the school uniform.

This got the parents concerned about a particular supplier being imposed on them and the lack of competition.

Competition Commission Commissioner, Thembinkosi Bonakele, says having one supplier opens up consumers to abuse because they don't have a choice on the prices imposed.

He says this happens because there is lack of awareness.

Read: School uniform should be accessible and affordable - Competition Commission

In an environment where you only have one possible supplier, you open up consumers to abuse they don't have a choice on the price imposed on them so they can't compare prices, you are actually knocking them. They are captured...
— Thembinkosi Bonakele, Commissioner at Competition Commission

Bonakele advises that the school should prescribe the standard of the uniform as well as the colours so that anyone can produce the item instead of imposing a supplier on parents.

He says the school needs to make uniforms as generic as possible.

To hear the rest of the interview on uniforms, listen here:

Written by: Lengwadishang Ramphele