Exploring the sensitive interplay between labour law and competition jurisprudence: Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (PTY) Ltd v Competition Commission of South Africa & Another [2024] ZACC 3

On 17 April 2024, the Constitutional Court of South Africa handed down a landmark judgment in Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (Pty) Ltd v Competition Commission & Food and Allied Workers Union [2024] ZACC 3. The case highlighted the intersection of labour and competition, two areas of the law that are cardinal to the protection, promotion, and realisation of socio-economic rights. Labour law is paramount to the realisation of socio-economic rights because it regulates, among other things, the right to fair wages, employment equity, safe working conditions, social security benefits, and job security, which all ensure that individuals can earn a living to support their families and afford access to goods and services essential for their socio-economic well-being. Competition law, on the other hand, advances the realisation of socio-economic rights through the promotion of fair markets and the combating of anti-competitive conduct, ensuring that consumers have access to the best quality goods and services at fair prices, which is essential for consumers' economic well-being.