ZCSA RECORDS 4% INCREASE IN COMPLIANCE RATE

THE Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) has recorded an overall compliance rate of 89 percent in 2023 representing a four percent improvement from the 85 percent overall compliance rate recorded in 2022, ZCSA Head of Communications Brian Hatyoka has said.

Mr. Hatyoka noted that there had been a steady improvement in the compliance rate since the agency commenced operations to administer, maintain and enforce compulsory standards for the purpose of public safety, health, consumer and environmental protection in 2018.

Speaking to The Scoop, Mr. Hatyoka indicated that the four percent improvement indicates compliance by consumers on counterfeit products sold on the market adding that the increase in the compliance rate would be beneficial to the country’s social economic development.

“The increase in compliance rate translates to effective taxation by the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) which goes to benefit the country’s socio-economic development agenda as all manufacturers of original and certifiable products and services providers will pay tax compared to the counterfeit producers who sell their products but do not pay tax,” he said.

He disclosed that the 2023 compliance rates were arrived at after ZCSA conducted national open market surveillance inspections in six provinces namely Lusaka, Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Western and Southern from July 2023 to September 2023.

Mr. Hatyoka explained that the survey covered 22 districts and 64 localities in the named provinces, inspecting a total number of 35 products.

He further stressed the need for consumers and traders to abide by section 15 of the Compulsory Standards Act no. 3 of 2017 which prohibits the introduction of a product or service onto the market without obtaining evidence of compliance from the Agency with the applicable compulsory standards.

“Manufacturers of products and service providers that are subject to compulsory standards must ensure that they follow the specifications relating to their product or service of choice before it is introduced on the market to prevent or reduce the risk of injury or cause harm to the environment or human lives,” Mr. Hatyoka advised.

Meanwhile, a check by The Scoop in the Lusaka central business district revealed that most traders in the business of used textile had understood that their business was illegal in Zambia.

One of the traders who sought anonymity said she ventured into the business of selling used textile products in 2016 because she did not know of any law which prohibited her line of business until she watched on television when others in the same line of business as hers had their merchandise confiscated by the agency.

Another trader from Lusaka’s Mtendere Market, Mailess Mwenya said she had managed to educate her three children through the sale of used textile products which included women’s bras, nightwear, undergarments among others.

Ms. Mwenya, who has been involved inthe business of used textile for the past 12 years, disclosed that she never knew that it was illegal until she attended a roadshow by the agency wherethey were sensitized on the risks associated with selling such merchandise.

“At this point I have stopped selling used textile products (salaula) because I now know that I risk going to jail and my merchandise confiscated when caught by the agency inspectors.

I hereby, warn my fellow traders doing the same business that the day that I see any of them selling the prohibited undergarments, I will become a whistleblower by calling the agency because one of their officers left me with a number to call for reporting,” she said.

And Mr. Hatyoka stated that ZCSA would continue its function of educating the public on compulsory standards and provide public information for the protection of the consumers on products and services which do not comply with the Compulsory Standards Act no. 3 of 2017. 

He has also warned that compulsory standards were principles with which compliance was mandatory by law and that there were no not negotiations when it came to enforcement of compulsory standards.

“The agency ensures compliance to compulsory standards for locally manufactured products through its inspection activities such as factory visits, open market surveillance, spot checks and complaints investigations,” Mr. Hatyoka said.

He added that in a bid to enhance quality and safety of products, a recommendation had been made to declare an addition of 47 products to be covered under the standard law and this will therefore promote their competitiveness in local and external markets and ultimately meet customer expectations.

And a simple survey by The Scoop among members of the public indicated that a lot of people have started appreciating the works of the agency. Some citizens are not yet fully acquainted with the distinct role of ZCSA among other statutory bodies with similar roles such as Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) and Zambia Metrology Agency (ZMA). 

“Personally, I have seen on a number of occasions these traders of secondhand undergarments having their bales confiscated. Honestly, I do not feel pity for them.They are part of the reason why we now have so many cases of cancer diseases in Zambia and the cost is huge to treat them,” Timothy Tembo, a third year APEX University medical student said.

And Mr. Tembo’s friend, Miriam Mumba stated that she once bought a 25KG bag of mealie meal which she suspected was underweight but did not know who to contact amongst the various government agencies to lodge a complaint.

Meanwhile, Mr. Hatyoka has appealed to the general public to desist from buying counterfeit products on the market and become whistleblowers to alert the agency officers so that importers and traders involved in the illegality are penalized.

“We therefore encourage our consumers to consider buying into safer alternatives that are available on the market. As a regulator of compulsory standards, we will continue ensuring that products subject to compulsory standards do not pose a threat to the health and safety of consumers,” Mr. Hatyoka emphasized.