G/TBT/W/757  
 
1 June 2021  
(21-4544) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
TECHNICAL INFRASTR UCTURE IN SOUTH AFRICA  
SUBMISSION FROM SOUTH AFRICA  
The following communication, dated 3 1 May 2021, is being circulated at the request of the delegation 
of South Africa . 
 
_______________  
 
 
1  SOUTH AFRICA 'S TECHNICAL INFRASTR UCTURE  
1.1.  South Africa 's Quality Infrastructure, normally referred to as Technical Infrastructure (TI), is a 
system of setting  standards and demonstrating that such standards are complied with in order to 
build confidence in the economy. Our national system is composed of four public entities, namely: 
South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), the National Regulator for Compulsory  Specifications 
(NRCS), the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS); and the National Metrology 
Institute of South Africa (NMISA).  
1.2.  These four entities, complemented by the private sector bodies that perform conformity 
assessment services, ensur e that products and industrial processes meet the required specifications 
for safety and performance. The TI further provides scientific based support to industry helping them 
improve their products and services while protecting citizens and employees from  unsafe products 
and environments.  
1.3.  The following section provides the legislative architecture of South Africa 's TI and associated 
mandates:  
1.4.  SABS ' mandate : The Standards Act, 2008 (Act No. 8 of 2008), established the SABS as the 
peak national institution to: develop standards, perform conformity assessment services, promote 
quality. The role of SABS is to develop, maintain and promote South African National Standards 
(SANS). Furthermore, the SABS provide third -party commercial testing and certification ser vices for 
a specific range of products and services in accordance with requirements specified in SANS.  
1.5.  The NRCS mandate : The NRCS administers 3 Acts:  
a. The National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications Act, 2008 (Act No. 5 of 2008), - 
established the NRCS to promote public health and safety, environmental protection and 
fair trade through the administration, maintenance and enforcement of Technical 
Regulations and Compulsory Specifications.  
b. The Legal Metrology Act, 2014 (Act No. 9 of 20 14), - strengthens enforcement of legal 
metrology, protects consumers against short measure.  
c. National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act, 1977 (Act No. 103 of 1977), - 
its purpose is to: promote uniformity in the law relating to the erection o f buildings, for 
the prescribing of building standards, require that building be approved by local authorities 
prior to erection, require local authorities to employ building control officers, establishes 
an appeal mechanism against decisions of local auth orities.  G/TBT/W/757  
 
- 2 - 
 
  d. The role of the NRCS is to administer Compulsory Specifications and Technical Regulations 
and enforce compliance of regulated products that fall within these categories: Chemicals, 
Materials and Mechanical, Electro -technical, Food and Associated I ndustry, and 
Automotive Industry.  
1.6.  SANAS ' mandate : SANAS was established by the Accreditation for Conformity Assessment, 
Calibration and Good Laboratory Practice Act, 2006 (Act No. 19 of 2006), as the sole national 
accreditation body to provide an internationally recognised and effective accreditation and 
monitoring system for South Africa in the fields of Conformity Assessment, Calibration and Good 
Laboratory Practice.   
a. The role of SANAS is to create an impartial and transparent mechanism for organ isations 
to independently demonstrate their competence and facilitate the beneficial exchange of 
goods, services and knowledge, and provide a service that is recognised as equitable to 
best international practice.  
1.7.  NMISA 'S mandate : NMISA was established by the Measurement Units and Measurement 
Standards Act, 2006 (Act No. 18 of 2006), to provide for the use of measurement units of the 
International System of Units (SI) and to designate other measurement units for use; to provide for 
the designation of the na tional measurement standards (NMS) and to provide for the keeping and 
maintenance of the NMS.  
a. The role is of NMISA is to ensure that measurements performed nationally in science, 
industry or for legal purposes are accurate and internationally acceptable a s NMISA is the 
national custodian of the SI.  
1.8.  Department of Trade, Industry and Competition ( the dtic ) oversees the legislative work, policy 
oversight and management oversight of the four institutions as listed in  paragraph 1.1 of this 
document.  
__________