South Africa needed to “up its game” in the battle against sub-standard imported goods, Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, told guests at the World Accreditation Day celebrations in Pretoria last Saturday.
The event coincided with the opening of new offices of the South African National Accreditation System (Sanas). Davies said South Africa, as an important player in global trade, could not afford to be found wanting as there was an increasing demand in the international market for high standards.
“If we cannot write our own standards and establish testing facilities that enable us to demonstrate that our products meet certain standards, we will become prey to other people’s institutions, rules, and agendas. We need to be very much aware that the issues of standards are used as a nontariff barrier, a way of keeping products out of other markets,’’ Davies cautioned.
CAPTION
Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies (centre), flanked by Sanas chairman of the board, Prags Govender (left), and Sanas CEO Ron Josias, at the launch of the new Sanas offices.
