The Department of Trade and Industry Minister, Dr Rob Davies, has called on MPs particularly those from opposition parties, to think more carefully before associating themselves with complaints raised by market players. The Minister's comments follow calls made by DA MP's Hill-Lewis and Dean Macpherson for a reduction in the time taken by National Regulator for Compulsory Specification (NRCS) to process Letters of Authority (LoA).
Minister Davies said he had discussed the matter with the CEO of the NRCS, Asogan Moodley, who had indicated that it was important that the organisation be given adequate time to carry out its inspection work before issuing LoA's. Moodley had pointed out that the 120 days it takes to process such LoA’s in South Africa compared favourably with comparable countries.
Minister Davies said that South Africa continues to be bombarded with harmful sub-standard products which are both harmful to consumers and constitute unfair competition to South African producers.
"At this stage of our development the priority is to ensure that we step up on efforts to combat the entry of sub-standard products, and not pander to the demands of vested interests that seek, in the name of greater administrative efficiency, to keep open the doors to such potential abuse," said Moodley.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe, Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: 012 394 1650
Mobile: 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
