Pressure mounts over LOA backlog

Pressure is mounting on
the National Regulator for
Compulsory Specifications
(NRCS) to clear up the
extensive backlog of letters
of authority (LOA) for
importers which is currently
anything up to six months.
This despite the organisation
committing to Parliament
that it would cut this to a
maximum of 120 days.
According to Stefan
Sakoschek, regional director
for the EU Chamber of
Commerce and Industry in
Southern Africa, many are
now calling the delays a nontariff
trade barrier.
The chamber has
suggested that a pre-export
verification of conformity
(PVOC) programme would
go a long way to addressing
problems as it assessed and
addressed risk prior to goods
arriving in South Africa.
There’s general consensus
that many of the products
being held up by the NRCS
have been extensively
tested in their countries
of origin with South
Africa only performing a
costly duplication that is
unnecessary.