DURBAN - In celebration of World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD), the acting national commissioner at the National Consumer Commission, Thezi Mabuza, and Ravi Pillay, the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA), inspected textile industry products at Bayhead, Durban.
This was in partnership with the commission, EDTEA, and various regulatory bodies under the umbrella of the Consumer Protection Forum.
WCRD is celebrated annually on March 15, with the aim of raising awareness about consumer rights and needs while enforcing business compliance. It is celebrated globally to promote consumers’ basic rights.
Each year, the global consumer movement unites around themes to deliver an array of campaigning activities. This year’s important event of the week was a colloquium under the theme, Sustainable Consumption, with the tagline, Is it safe for you and the environment?
On Tuesday, Mabuza inspected compliance in the textile industry and other industries, while Pillay officially launched the KZN Consumer Tribunal. The launch of the tribunal means that the province will be able to prosecute consumer-related matters in KZN, resulting in quicker consumer redress.
Mabuza said it was important that textile products met criteria to be transported across the country.
“Our country is on UK sizes, therefore the products need to be indicated. Whatever I buy, which was bought outside South Africa, needs to indicate its size. This enables consumers to know before even fitting the product that it will be the size you want.
“This is the start of the process because we are only inspecting 4% in terms of customs of the goods we receive. This helps us make sure that in support of our clothing and textile masterplan we are doing the right thing. Today (on Tuesday), you may ask yourself how WCRD fits in with South African consumers.
“It is important for people to know or understand why some products are stopped from coming into the country.
“We have to ensure that we do not bring in products that are non-compliant, that will compromise the quality of the goods, or even worse compromise our jobs,” said Mabuza.
“We want people to make sure that they understand what the products are made of … Those with allergies have to check if they are made with materials that could trigger allergies.”
Daily News