The Competition Commission has referred to the Competition Tribunal, for prosecution, Johannesburg-based wholesale distributor and manufacturer of medical productions, LevTrade International, trading as Burnshield, for alleged excessive pricing.
The commission says its investigation has found that LevTrade International had, prior to the declaration of a national state of disaster, been selling respiratory masks at lower prices.
It states that the price of a box of 20 respiratory masks had increased from R139 on February 14 to R170 on February 26.
The price was further increased by 82% to R310 on March 5.
On March 23, LevTrade pushed up the price for a box of 20 respiratory masks to R670, which was a price increase of 116% from R310, says the commission.
The commission has asked the tribunal to impose a maximum penalty against LevTrade.