Environmental Affairs and Tourism Minister Valli Moosa on Wednesday lambasted clothing and household retail group, Mr Price, for what he called its lack of concern for the environment.
Plastic bag regulations, which outlawed the manufacture and commercial distribution of thin bags in favour of bags with a thickness of 30 micron, came into effect on May 9.
Retailers than started selling the thicker bags to consumers.
Mr Price has continued to provide plastic bags free of charge — enraging the environment minister.
Moosa said the group had misled consumers into believing the bags were free, but the cost was hidden in the pricing of the goods they sold.
”By refusing to be transparent about the cost of the bags, Mr Price denies consumers the choice accorded to them by the agreement of either to purchase the bags or not,” he said.
Moosa said the environment and pollution on the streets appeared to be of no concern to Mr Price.
”Mr Price is best advised not to frustrate this hard-earned process, for the good of the country and its people.”
”We will clamp down on whoever is hell bent on polluting the environment,” he said. – Sapa