SAZ pushes for compulsory product testing

This follows reports of a flood of fake and sub-standard products, some of which are risky to users or consumers. The products evade scrutiny by local port authorities.
While the attempt is largely to control the sub-standard imports the legislation would also cover the quality of exports. Products certain to be subjected to mandatory testing, once the legislation is in place, include vehicles, spares, medicines, electrical gadgets and personal hygiene products.

SAZ executive director Ms Eve Gadzikwa told Herald Business the legislation should be ready by the end of this year. She made the remarks after a ceremony to present pharmaceutical firm Datlabs with an International Standards Organisation 9001:2008 quality management certificate.
“We are lobbying for a legal framework to be put in place that is going to facilitate the involvement of SAZ on compulsory testing of imports and exports. A regulator is going to be established who, through an Act of Parliament, will ensure SAZ becomes involved in making sure that we test certain products on a compulsory basis,” said Ms Gadzikwa.

“We are lobbying for that law to make sure the consumer is protected and does not get a raw deal from sub-standard products,” she said.
Presently, SAZ does not have the legal power to subject imports to mandatory quality tests and refers such cases to regulatory authorities whenever the issues of quality crop up. The decade of economic instability that Zimbabwe went through compromised the manufacturing capacity of industry and has made the country a dumping site for counterfeits.

Reports abound that the country has also been targeted for sub-standard medicines and SAZ says the situation did not augur well for the country’s quest to achieve US$100 billion economy.

“The industry is a major contributor to economic growth and GDP through exports, import substitution and employment. It exports to Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Malawi, Angola, DRC, Tanzania, Uganda and West Indies,” she said.

Ms Gadzikwa applauded Datlabs for attaining ISO 9001:2008, saying this ensures high quality products and services. She said the certification was critical as it enhances profits, confidence in products, quality consistence, increase in market share, competitiveness and access to external markets. Datlabs managing director MrClever Mugadza said his company was already compliant with the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe regulations on public health.
He said: “Datlabs decided to be ISO 9001:2008 certified in its continued endeavour to give enhanced value to customers.”

The local pharmaceutical industry, said Ms Gadzikwa, was critical for enhancing availability of drugs, reduction of their prices, protection against counterfeits, quality and efficacy, employment and promotion of science and technology.