NRCS takes over from SAPS in Durban

Those who are upset by the
workings of the National
Regulator for Compulsory
Specifications (NRCS) are
the unlucky few who have
been targeted by this body,
set up as the policing arm of
the SA Bureau of Standards
(SABS), according to an
FTW source.
Indeed, the SA
Association of Freight
Forwarders (Saaff) has
found the NRCS to be
acting as a valuable control
over the importation of
poor (and often dangerous)
quality products, added this
source – who is familiar
with the regular discussions
between the two bodies.
“Saaff has established
a good relationship with
them,” he said.
He also provided figures
which rather negate
statements made to FTW by
angry importers that NRCS
was stopping large numbers
of containers and causing
widespread grief to the
import community.
From the latest data
release, the FTW source
pointed out that – between
April and July – the
NRCS had profiled 3 000
containers. A total that
represented only 2% of all
import containers.
Also, that the regulator
had only stopped and
examined 600 boxes,
and had
registered a
17% hit rate.
“People are
importing a lot of
rubbish,” our source
added, “or are just not
bothering to find out
just what they should
do before they import
products that don’t comply
with SA standards.”
He also pointed
out that the letter of
approval (LOA) – required
before the NRCS will
release a stopped box – was
nothing new.
“It has been on the go for
years now,” he told FTW,
“and has been part of the
policy of the SABS.”
Previously, the SABS
accepted that importers
would voluntarily apply for
an LOA before importing
their goods.
But now, with the
NRCS policing imports,
the shippers have to have
an LOA if their goods
are on the regulator’s list
of products having to
prove compliance with SA
standards – known as the
“compulsory specification
list”.
Also, the NRCS is
becoming more visible
because in Durban it has
taken over from the SA
Police Service (SAPS) the
stopping of boxes suspected
of containing noncompliant
products.
“That’s not the
case in Harrismith or
Johannesburg yet,” our
source said. “But I hope that
happens soon.”
As of last week, the
import industry may also
be a bit more alert to the
conditions laid down for
the NRCS by the three
governing acts: The
National Regulator for
Compulsory Specifications
Act (no. 5 of 2008); the
Trade Metrology Act (no. 77
of 1973); and the National
Building Regulations and
Building Standards Act (no.
103 of 1977).
This after the NRCS
conducted its inaugural
two-day Regulatory
Conference in Johannesburg
on September 17-18.