The S African constitutional court has rejected an application from the competition authorities related to allegations of anti-competitive activity by the American Natural Soda Ash Corporation (Ansac). The constitutional court ruled that "it was not in the interests of justice to hear the matter at this stage." The court is the fourth & highest to reject Ansac's bid to prevent a competitor, Botswana Ash (Botash), from intervening in the case before the competition tribunal. In August 2006 the tribunal was the first to reject Ansac's application to have Botash removed. Ansac made the application after discovering that a lawyer who had worked for the competition commission on the case, & had access to certain information, was now working for Botash's law firm, Webber Wentzel Bowens (WWB). Ansac also requested that WWB be disqualified from acting for Botash.
