Pretoria - The Department of Trade and Industry (dti), in partnership with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), and the National Consumer Commission (NCC), are today handing over approved paraffin stoves to households in Vusumuzi, Tembisa.
The National Consumer Regulator for Compulsory Specifications will hand over 3000 paraffin stoves to identified households at the informal settlement.
Tuesday’s campaign intends to educate consumers about the importance of using approved appliances such as paraffin stoves and heaters to avoid shack fires which often result in loss of life and property.
“The partnership follows a winter campaign that was kick-started in June 2015 by the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) and the NCC. The campaign is aimed at implementing policies of government to safeguard and advance the social and economic circumstances of South Africans,” said the NCC.
The handing over of the paraffin stoves will also include door-to-door visits to check compliance of appliances and inspections at business areas.
According to the NCC, recent reports indicate that up to two million households in South Africa still rely on paraffin apparatus for lighting their homes, heating and cooking.
“A majority of these vulnerable consumers are found in the informal settlements across the country. It is unfortunate that paraffin comes with some risks and the risks increase with the use of apparatus that do not meet the specifications as set out by the NRCS.
“Unfortunately, purchasing decisions of consumers are mostly based on price, thus they are likely to buy the cheaper product instead of the more expensive compliant stove.”
Business takes advantage of the situation by providing goods that do not meet the required compulsory specifications at a cheaper price, even in informal settlements, such goods are readily available for sale.
The Consumer Protection Act stipulates that the consumer has the right to fair value, good quality and safety and that the consumer needs to be protected from goods that are unsafe and have performance failure; that are defective and hazardous and have a potential to cause personal injury or property damage to a consumer or other people.
Although the NRCS Act forbids the sale of non-compliant products, there are many suppliers who continue to prey on vulnerable and indigent consumers. – SAnews.gov.za
