South African petrochemicals company Sasol has lost its appeal against the Competition Appeal Court’s ruling, confirming the Commission’s jurisdiction to investigate allegations of gas price gouging for over a decade.

Key complainants, including Egoli Gas, the Industrial Gas Users Association of SA (Igua), and Spring Lights Gas, initiated the complaint in 2022, accusing Sasol of excessively pricing natural piped gas in violation of the Competition Act.

The crux of the legal battle centred on whether the Competition Commission had the authority to investigate Sasol for alleged anti-competitive behaviour.

Sasol’s defence leant heavily on challenging this jurisdiction, arguing that the Commission lacked the legal mandate to scrutinise its pricing strategies. However, the Competition Appeal Court's decision sided with the Commission.

This ruling sets a precedent for how similar cases might be handled in the future.

For Sasol, this decision could lead to further scrutiny of its pricing strategies and potentially hefty penalties if found violating the Competition Act.