Asib affiliates under suspicion

The companies raided by the Competition Commission yesterday: ANS Fire Protection Services CC. Arksun Fire Equipment CC trading as Fire Equipment. BH Fire Protection Services CC. Belfa Coastal Cape. Belfa Coastal Natal. Bhubesi Fire Projects. Chubb Fire and Security KwaZulu-Natal. Country Contracts CC. Cross Fire Management. Eagle Fire Control CC. this cartel as well as the confirmation of the pervasiveness of cartels in the construction sector,” he said.

Ngwema added that the commission had already investigated a complaint in this industry, which uncovered long standing collusive arrangements amongst fire control and protection systems companies.

Several Gauteng companies have already admitted to engaging in collusion and concluded settlement agreements with the commission.

The Competition Tribunal last month confirmed separate settlement agreements with two firms for collusion. This followed a search and seizure dawn raid by commission investigators in March 2015 on the offices of six Gauteng Fire and General CC. Fire Check CC. Fire Control Systems KwaZuluNatal CC. Fire Design CC. Fire Sprinkler Installations CC. FireCo Cape. FireCo KZN. Jasco Fire Solutions Cape. OVG Fire Management. QD Fire Cape CC. Specifire. Whip Fire Project. Ramsin Industrial Supplies CC trading as Fire Unlimited. based firms.

Fireco Gauteng, now named KRS Fire, agreed to pay a fine of R909 376.29 and Afrion Property Services (Afrion) a fine of R327 201.85.

Prosecution

The other companies referred to the tribunal for prosecution in that case were Belfa Fire, Cross Fire Management, Fire Protection Systems, Fireco and Tshwane Fire Sprinklers.

Ngwema said the premises raided yesterday were located in Athlone, Milnerton, Stellenbosch, Century City, Westlake, Bellville, Brackenfell and Montague Gardens in the Western Cape; Pinetown, Springfield, Chatsworth, Stamford Hill, Windermere and Morningside