DA welcomes the dismissal of the SABS Board

28 June 2018

While the DA welcomes the decision by the Minister of International Trade and Industry, Rob Davies, to dissolve the South Africa Africa Bureau of Standards (SABS) Board, it does not absolve him from the damage that his delayed response has inflicted on SABS’s credibility.

Since March 2018, the DA has been calling for the dismissal of the Board after a series of questions I posed which revealed that SABS was unable to account for a loss of 1000 customers and revenue loss of R50 million. However, the Minister chose to drag his feet causing further damage to SABS and the economy.

Minister Rob Davis must now ensure that an administrator is appointed and a turnaround strategy tabled before the Committee of Trade and Industry without delay.

Small and medium enterprises, including the manufacturing sector, cannot afford to continue losing market access due to a standards certification body that cannot fulfill its core mandate due to poor management.

The economy is not creating enough jobs as it is and we cannot afford to keep shooting ourselves in the foot by letting key growth enablers such as SABS fold under the weight of chronic mismanagement.

Statement issued by Dean Macpherson MP, DA Shadow Minister of Trade and Industry, 28 June 2018