School uniform cost in spotlight

COMMISSION: SOLE SUPPLIER CONTRACTS MUST END

Aim is to increase suppliers so parents can buy at suitable price and quality. Moneyweb

The Competition Commission has set its sights on increasing the number of uniform suppliers, reducing prices and regulating the sector. The commission’s investigation in 2017, convened after schools and parents complained about prices of sole suppliers, found some schools have contracts with suppliers, which increases prices.

This week, the Competition Commission and the National Education Collaboration Trust hosted a discussion with the department of basic education, suppliers, stakeholders and school unions to trouble-shoot the issue.

The discussion focused on reducing sole suppliers to open the market and give parents the option of buying uniforms at the price and quality they want.

The commission’s Tembinkosi Bonakele said: “We are here to try to clamp down on suppliers monopolising the market. That is a definite no-no, but we have to find ways of isolating those cases. We need to open up markets in every sector in South Africa.”

ETEM Schoolwear’s Faraaz Mahomed said: “Suppliers face challenges as manufacturers and factories increase prices 10% a year.”

There should be guidelines for the maximum prices as costs are determined by manufacturers, he added.

Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga said uniforms gave pupils a sense of equality but in a country where poverty was prevalent, their cost shouldn’t be the reason children cannot go to school.

The department sent a circular to all schools in 2015, suggesting uniforms be as generic as possible, but it was not implemented, she added.

Mahomed suggested the standardised uniform concept could be applied with limits.