3.3 Import-parity pricing
This Ninth National Congress notes:
1. Import-parity pricing by monopolistic producers is stifling the growth of downstream manufacturing in South Africa and pushes up the prices of low-cost housing, food and medicine.
2. The unregulated export of scrap metal also deprives local producers of needed inputs.
Therefore this Ninth National Congress resolves:
1. To ensure that the practice of import-parity pricing in our industries is corrected, and to campaign against upstream companies who persist in pursuing this practice at the expense of downstream industries.
2. To push for the regulation of key industries involved in the manufacturing of industrial goods through consultation between the stakeholders at NEDLAC and international level.
3. To call for amendment of the Competition Act to establish a price and monitoring system to ensure compliance by companies and prevent companies from exerting undue market influence.
4. To ensure that import-parity pricing is strictly controlled with respect to products that are significant to poor people such as food, medicine and housing material.
5. The state should play a central role in regulating the exportation of scrap metal, in order to allow local businesses access to scrap metal at a competitive price.
6. CEC to establish a focus group to discuss IPP in all sectors of the economy.
7. COSATU should be regularly highlighting the negative effect of import-parity pricing on jobs.