Consumers have been warned that some unscrupulous tyre dealers have increased the price of all tyres by almost 40% – and not just tyres imported from China in line with the 38.33% provisional anti-dumping duty imposed on the latter by the International Trade Administration Commission (Itac), reports Moneyweb.

Francois Dubbelman, trade law expert and founder of FC Dubbelman & Associates, said on Friday he is ‘100% sure’ some tyre dealers are taking advantage of the situation and increasing the price of all tyres by 38%, instead of only hiking the price of imported tyres.

However, consumers might not know which tyres are imported and end up replacing their tyres earlier than necessary.

And as Dubbelman stressed, the provisional anti-dumping duty only applies to tyres imported from China – not all imported tyres. Tyre Importers Association of SA chair Charl de Villiers confirmed to Moneyweb last week that it has commenced legal steps to reverse the decision taken by Itac to impose provisional anti-dumping duties on tyres imported from China.

He said it will be lodging a High Court application on the basis that the legislation Itac relied on to impose these provisional duties, section 30 of the International Trade Administration Act, has not been promulgated.

Full Moneyweb report