The Publishers’ Association of South Africa (PASA) says it is cooperating with an investigation by the Competition Commission into possible cartel behaviour by the local publishing industry.
The Competition Commission announced on Wednesday that it would investigate PASA and its 91 members for allegedly fixing book prices.
“PASA notes that its Constitution and Code of conduct do not allow the Association (PASA) and its members to get involved or participate in anti-competitive practices‚” PASA executive director Mpuka Radinku said in a short statement on Thursday.
Announcing the probe on Wednesday‚ the Competition Commission said: “Commissioner [Tembinkosi Bonakele] received information pointing to the fact that the association and its members who are publishers‚ book importers and sellers of books to government departments‚ educational institutions‚ retailers among others‚ may have been involved in fixing prices of books in contravention of the Competition Act.”