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Johannesburg - Total SA has not harmed its customers, it said on Thursday following a Competition Commission decision to refer a case of price fixing against several major oil companies to the Competition Tribunal.
"We are confident that our response will demonstrate that Total SA has acted ethically and that we have not harmed the interests of our valued customers," it said in a statement.
"We have a deep commitment to upholding competition laws and as a result we take competition law into account in all our daily dealings with our valued customers."
On Wednesday the commission said the referral came after a wide-ranging investigation into "possible collusive conduct in liquid fuels".
The case of price fixing and market division regarding the supply of diesel involved Chevron SA, Engen, Shell SA, Total SA, Sasol, BP SA and the SA Petroleum Industry Association (Sapia).
The commission started its investigation in 2009.
"The investigation revealed collusive conduct through extensive exchanges of commercially sensitive information by the respondent oil companies."
The exchange of information allegedly started in the late 1980s and continued largely through Sapia from 2005.
Total SA said it would study the allegations and consult its advisers before responding in the appropriate legal forum.
