Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel today appointed Mr Thembinkosi Bonakele as Acting Competition Commissioner with effect from 21 October 2013.
Minister Patel’s announcement follows the resignation of Mr Shan Ramburuth as Competition Commissioner following an investigation undertaken into his fitness to hold office. Mr Bonakele will assume duties as Acting Competition Commissioner for a period of six months, while a recruitment process is undertaken to appoint a new Commissioner.
Mr Bonakele has served as Deputy Commissioner in the Competition Commission and worked in all key divisions of the Competition Commission over the past 9 years. His positions included senior legal counsel, head of compliance, acting head of enforcement, head of mergers and acquisitions, as well as Deputy Commissioner overseeing cases and operations. He helped to found the cartels division of the Competition Commission and to develop the agency's Corporate Leniency Policy. Mr Bonakele holds LLB and MBA qualifications.
Minister Patel says to ensure continuity and the need for coherent leadership in the Competition Commission at this critical time, he appointed Mr Bonakele to ensure sustained focus on the critical work of the Competition Commission in relation to management of merger processes, competition investigations and the healthcare market enquiry.
"The Competition Commission is a vital institution in our efforts to build a dynamic economy and it has a skilled and capable staff that will ensure the Commission continues to perform its statutory functions. Mr Bonakele brings expertise in the field of competition policy and extensive knowledge of the Commission and his presence will help the Commission during the period when a new Commissioner will be identified and appointed," Minister Patel said today.
The post of Competition Commissioner will be advertised in national newspapers in the next two weeks.
Enquiries:
Manelisi Wolela
Cell: 071 3134192
Email: mwolela@economic.gov.za
