Jodi Scholtz, Sabs Lead Administrator said it would be crucial to ensure that voluntary processes of standards are included in all planning of traded goods to ensure public safety. SABS Lead Administrator Jodi Scholtz. Picture: Supplied.
DURBAN - THE South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) says as African countries discuss intra-Africa trade efforts, they also need to ensure that non-consumable and consumable products go through a proper process to ensure the safety of the public.
SABS Leading Administrator Jodi Scholtz said when standardised conformity assessment processes are implemented, this can facilitate the movement of products and services across borders.
She said as SA and Africa move towards more trade, there had to be a list of standards to ensure quality adherence at all times and to avoid the dumping of goods or sub-standard products landing in consumers' hands.
“Quality standards provides the end-users a product or service with the assurance that global or national specifications and regulations have been complied with.
Scholtz said applying standards also helped companies to have a competitive edge over other goods being sold, as it assured buyers and not just consumers that they had met specific criteria before going to market.
“The dtic (Department of Trade, Industry and Competition) has called upon the Quality Infrastructure institutions (QI’s) to chart a course that would help modernise manufacturing, helping to drive economic growth and the development objectives of national government, against the backdrop of international standards and quality requirements to help facilitate greater trade,” said Scholtz.
She added that South Africa, through the SABS, will create awareness about the role and value of quality infrastructure and standardisation, facilitating trade within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), supporting the efficient trading of goods and services within the African continent market.
“The SABS is further engaged at regional level with the development and implementation of the Made in Africa framework by participating in structures to ensure that Member States be capacitated to provide Regional Value Content, the equivalent of SA’s Local Content Scheme recently launched by the SABS,” said Scholtz.
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