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DTI destroys 'unsafe' goods worth R8m

1 April 2014

South Africa's Department of Trade and Industry oversaw the destruction of more than 300 000 non-compliant products valued at R8-million, in Pretoria on Monday.

The goods were seized during raids by the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications in an ongoing effort to protect South African consumers from sub- standard products and producers from unfair competition.

Technical regulations and compulsory specifications for goods were "crucial" to stop these type of products from coming on to the market, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said at the event.

"The goods are not only destroyed to defend our consumers against sub-standard products, but also the South African producers against unfair competition from those who either produce the same products, or more typically, import from all sort of borders," Davies said.

Blitz

He said that during the recent six-week blitz conducted by the regulator at Cape Town and Durban ports and at City Deep in Johannesburg, "a quarter of all containers entering the country were inspected and close to R8-million worth of non-compliant products was detected".

Davies said to date approximately R153-million worth of non-compliant and unsafe products had been seized and destroyed.

He added that the government was "committed to locking out non-compliant products", and that most of these products "were being sold to poor people who often do not yet have access to the necessary information on safety standards and their rights in this regard".

Davies urged stakeholders to work together with the regulator and the National Consumer Commission to ensure the safety of consumers and also to protect jobs.

Some of the non-compliant products which were destroyed included steam irons, plugs, paraffin stoves, swimming aids, chemicals, cellphone chargers, paraffin stoves, child restraints and tyres.

Source: SAnews.gov.za