JSE-listed construction company Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO) on Monday reiterated the non-referral of two of the five cases in which
the Competition Commission alleged it had contravened the terms of the Competition Act.
“We honestly believe that there was no collusion on those five cases. We could [not] find [any] evidence, neither could the commission give us any evidence. We decided not to settle,” WBHO CEO Louwtjie Nel said on Monday.
These allegations formed part of the Competition Commission’s Fast Track Settlement Process which was finalised in July 2013.
The commission has referred the 2006 “World Cup Stadia meeting” matter to the Competition Tribunal. On considered legal advice, WBHO had refused to settle this matter as part of the Fast Track Settlement Process, as the group was convinced that this meeting was not collusive.
WBHO had also received a civil claim from the City of Cape Town, relating to the Cape Town stadium, but believed the City suffered no damages and was confident of defending the cases.
Nel noted that, “If [government] is going to roll out its [National Development Programme], we need each other and, therefore, we must make a plan to [ensure] that we sit around the same table. Unfortunately, I think it’s still going to [take some time], to sort through these last few issues.
