UZOKWEHLA umthwalo kubantu baseNingizimu Afrika abadinga ukuhlolwa iCovid-19 njengoba iCompetition Commision imemezele ukuthi amaCovid-PCR Test asezobiza uR500 esuka kuR850.
Okwamanje izinkampani ezisayine isivumelwano neCompetition Commission yiLancet ne-Ampath.
UKhomishana weCompetition Commission, uMnuz Tembinkosi Bonakele ucele wonke ama-laboratory ahlola abantu iCovid-19 ukuba angakhokhisi abantu imali engaphezu kukaR500.
“Siqale uphenyo emuva kokuthola izikhalo kubantu akade bekhala ngokuthi bakhokhiswa imali enkulu ema-laboratory ukuhlola iCovid-19. Siye sakwazi ukwenza isivumelwano ne-Ampath neLancet sokuthi ngeke besakhokhisa abantu uR850 kodwa bazobakhokhisa uR500 kusukela namhlanje (ngeSonto 12/12/2021),” kusho uBonakele.
Uthe enye inkampani akade beyiphenya iPathcare ayivumanga ukuba yingxenye yesivumelwano sokwehlisa imali eyikhokhisa abantu ngokubahlola iCovid-19.
Le nkampani uBonakele uthe bazoxoxisana nayo baze bathathe izinyathelo zomthetho uma kuphoqa.
Ucele nama-laboratory amancane angeyona ingxenye yesivumelwano sabo ukuba angakhokhisi abantu imali engaphezu kukaR500.
Uveze ukuthi ekuqaleni ukuhlola iCovid-19 bekubiza uR1 400 kodwa emuva kokungenelela kukahulumeni nabo beyiCompetition Commission kwehla kwaba wuR850. Emuva kwalokho baye baphenya ngoba bebona ukuthi uR850 mkhulu bafinyelela kulesi sivumelwano sikaR500.
Uthe isimo bazosiqapha ngeso lokhozi ukuthi ngeke bakwazi yini ukucela lezi zinkampani ukuba ziyehlise imali ngoba bazobheka ukuthi kwenzekani njalo emuva kwezinyanga ezintathu.
Uphethe ngokuthi kubalulekile ukuthi abantu bangakhokhiswa imali emba eqolo ngoba ukuhlola iCovid-19 ngenye yezindlela zokulwa nokubhebhetheka kwalesi sifo.
Uveze ukuthi ukunyuka kwezibalo zabangenwa yiCovid-19 kusho ukuthi baningi abazodinga ukuhlolwa ngakho imali akufanele imbe eqolo.
Amalungu omphakathi akhokhiswa imali engaphezu kukaR500 ukuhlola iCovid-19 angathumela izikhalo kwiCompetition Commission ngokuvakashela u-www.compcom.co.za.