ASSOCIATIONS 13
NRCS shuts down illegal geyser refurbishing , The following is the complete text of a media release issued by the National Regulator for Compulsory Standards ( NRCS )
NRCS issues a stern warning against the illegal trade practice of geysers . The National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications ( NRCS ) has been inundated with complaints on the sale and advertisement of second hand / refurbished geysers that do not comply with the applicable technical regulation ( VC 9006 ) for hot water storage tanks for domestic use . In response , the Regulator conducted inspections and discovered a surge in the illegal selling of refurbished geysers .
All geysers , new and modified , must conform with the safety and labelling requirements as outlined in the technical regulation before being offered for sale . It is therefore required of any business trading in these products to submit an application for approval of sale to the NRCS .
Through this process , an applicant , importer or manufacturer of regulated products is required to submit a sample of a product and a full test report acquired from an accredited testing facility for examination , testing or evaluation to determine compliance with the relevant compulsory specifications that are in force before the Letter of Authority Certificate ( LOA ) is issued .
The Regulator assesses the evidence of conformity supplied by the applicant and grant approval when the mandatory requirements have been met . This is a rigorous
by employing qualified contractors . The offending and so-called unqualified and unlicenced ‘ plumber ’ we have since established has gone MIA , unsurprisingly , and no recourse to the body corporate .
In our sister publication , SA Affordable Housing , Nov / Dec issue , we published an article by The Banking Association of SA on “ The impact of non-functioning body corporates , et al ”:
Figure 4 : Geysers with no labels or serial plates .
administrative and technical process which is followed to ensure that no LOA Certificates are issued to unscrupulous traders , manufactures or importers .
All industry players , contractors , insurance companies and other interested parties are therefore warned not to manufacture or sell non-compliant second hand or refurbished geysers if not approved by the NRCS .
Non-compliant products are hazardous and can cause harm to consumers . Similarly , faulty geysers can easily explode or cause an electric shock when used and are also not energy-efficient .
Research has indicated that geysers account for up to 39 % of household electricity bills and it is hoped that the enforcement of the regulation by the NRCS will decrease the energy demand and bring much-needed relief to consumers who are feeling the effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic .
Suppliers and manufacturers shall ensure that the product ’ s energy consumption information is provided on the label and dealers must ensure that they affix the supplied label on the outside of displayed products and ensure that potential endusers are provided with product energy efficiency class and energy consumption data before purchase .
The NRCS would also like to urge South African consumers to be alert and request sellers to produce proof of compliance ( LOA ) for products before they purchase them .
Enforcing VC 9006 is in line with the NRCS ’ s mandate of protecting human health , safety , the environment and ensuring fair trade as well as rooting out non-compliant products in the market .
The Consumer Protection Act is clear in that it states a consumer is entitled to fair and honest dealing ( Part F ), a right to fair value , good quality and safety ( Part H ). What happened here was that the manufacturer , supplier , and unqualified contractor behaved in an unconscionable manner in that they all knowingly were involved in an illegal activity .
Figure 5 : Geysers connected in series , where only one geyser was fitted with a temperature and pressure valve .
“ All industry players , contractors , insurance companies and other interested parties are therefore warned not to manufacture or sell noncompliant second hand or refurbished geysers if not approved by the NRCS .”
January 2021 Volume 26 I Number 11 www . plumbingafrica . co . za