The widespread availability of non-compliant electrical products in South Africa is creating systemic safety and liability risks for installers, retailers and the broader electrical industry, according to the voluntary safety association Safehouse.
South Africa has no reliable national statistics on electrical product compliance with independent industry testing consistently showing high failure rates across a range of electrical components, Safehouse says. The association warns that many products currently sold through formal retail channels fail to meet basic safety requirements despite certificates of compliance CoCs or letters of authority.
According to Safehouse, weak market surveillance and limited enforcement by the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications NRCS have allowed non-compliant and illicit electrical goods to enter the market with little ongoing oversight. The regulator primarily relies on administrative approvals and single type test reports with limited mechanisms to ensure continued compliance once products are approved.
