Extension cable warning in South Africa
Safehouse, an industry body focusing on compliance in the electrical industry, has warned South Africans against buying cheap electrical appliances and peripherals.
Asked about the influx of cheap electrical goods from platforms like Temu, Safehouse technical lead Connie Jonker said the illicit trade of non-compliant appliances was getting out of hand in South Africa.
He specifically warned consumers against buying cheaper power extension cords, as they may contain aluminium conductors instead of copper, increasing the risk of fire.
“What we found is that, especially in cord extension sets, if you compare two sets just by the difference in weight, we have found lots with aluminium conductors instead of copper,” he told Cape Talk.
“They can’t carry the same current. Aluminium is brittle, so the strands inside the cable break down and they can cause heat and eventually fire.”
Jonker explained that distinguishing between compliant and non-compliant products can be difficult, with the first indication of an inferior product being its price.
“If the price is low in comparison to the other brands, then you must be alerted that it could be non-compliant,” he said.
“It doesn’t make sense to save a few rands on a product when you can get one which is reliable and safe.”
According to Jonker, action from the entity responsible for enforcing quality standards — the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) — has been lacking.
“There are compulsory specifications for most electrical appliances and electrical components. They are based on the safety risks that these products pose,” he said.
“Surveillance testing across the market is extremely low. The regulator, who is obliged to do market surveillance, is more focused on imports, on customs, and places like that.”
He explained that these inferior products were sold online and never appeared in a physical store, so inspectors did not see them.
Jonker said the NRCS was well-staffed but highlighted issues with the testing procedure for electrical appliances.
“An electrical appliance is something that you have to test to determine whether it complies. An inspection is not going to show you,” Jonker said.
“The regulatory model that we have is based on one type test report, which is submitted to the NRCS and a Letter of Authority is issued.”
CEOs must be held accountable
Jonker explained that while specifications in regions like Europe used a CE mark system, where the manufacturer’s CEO signed a declaration of compliance, South Africa’s system was poor in comparison.
“If the CEO [in Europe] makes a false declaration, they are taken to court, and they can close the business down. That is the system we would like to promote,” he said.
However, he said Safehouse was struggling to convince the NRCS to adopt such a system because the current system was easy to apply.
“They stick to the model that they have, which we call a type one model, which is actually the lowest level of compliance,” Jonker said.
He added that a Letter of Authority from the NRCS puts some onus on the regulator, using the example of a non-compliant product causing a house fire.
“If the supplier had a Letter of Authority from the NRCS, I think they will be co-responsible, not absolved,” Jonker stated.
South Africa recently announced its intention to crack down on substandard imports from China, requiring specialised certification for products entering the country.
The Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition (DTIC) published new regulations requiring Certificates of Conformity (CoC) for imports from China.
The decision is due to growing concerns that unregulated products imported from China do not meet South African quality standards.
Only “certain unregulated products” will require the new certification, with a list of product types to be released at a later date.
The list will include products not currently subject to compulsory specifications to the respective national regulator.
Unregulated products frequently imported from China include clothing and textiles, footwear, leather goods, handbags, toys, baby products, and kitchenware.
Such imports must now “be accompanied by a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) confirming conformity with identified applicable South African National Standards (SANS) or recognised reference standards.”
Critically, these certificates must be issued before exporting, meaning regulatory checks must be conducted before products leave China.
The Border Management Agency and the South African Revenue Service will oversee enforcement of the new requirements at local borders.
Loading ...