Call for regulation of second-hand tyre industry

Parliament’s portfolio
committee on trade and
industry has called on
the National Regulator of
Compulsory Specifications
(NRCS) and the South African
National Bureau of Standards
(SABS) to speed up the process
of developing a set of standards
for the growing second-hand
tyre industry in the country.
Chairperson Joanmariae
Fubbs told FTW the current
timeline was estimated around
two years for completion of the
process.
“The committee has made
it clear to the NRCS that
this is too long. We are not
telling them to cut corners
and produce a standard in
six months – that would be
reckless – but a balance must
be reached. The two-year time
line must be reduced,” she
said. “We have requested they
cut this radically and expedite
the trials for second-hand
tyres so that a standard can be
developed.”
Fubbs said it was a serious
concern that the growing
second-hand tyre industry
remained unregulated.
“Everyone is very concerned
about the current status. There
is no compulsory specification
for tyres entering South Africa.
In many cases the tyres are
not conducive to our weather
conditions. But even more so
there are not enough quality
checks taking place,” she said.
“The South African Revenue
Service is not in a position to
check for quality. Of course the
NRCS does random checks
and that is the only way at
present that we can do it as it
is just not possible to inspect
every single item.”
But, she said,
practically this
meant in light
of no standards
that products of an
unsatisfactory standard
could very well end
up on the country’s
roads and this could
possibly be adding
to tyre-related
accidents.
“Safety of people
has to come first,” she
said. “And there is
agreement from the
tyre industry on this.”
The South African Tyre
Manufacturers’ Conference
(SATMC) has said it is in
the national interest and an
economic imperative that a
standard for second-hand
tyres be developed.
Fubbs said she was closely
tracking the decisions taken
by the portfolio committee
to ensure action was taken
and that the timeline for the
standard development was
being speeded up.