+27 12 482 8700 SABS Campus, 1 Dr Lategan Road, Groenkloof, Pretoria
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Chemical, Mechanical and Material Overview

​The Chemical, Mechanical, and Materials Business Unit are responsible for the regulation of Compulsory Specifications that fall within the scope of various industry sectors. These include personal protective equipment, firearms, and shootin​g ranges, flame-producing devices, health-related products, construction materials, cement, and products that affect the environment including plastic bags.

Approval and Inspection

T​​he Approval Process

Each model (or family) of products covered by the scope of VCs require to be approved by the regulator before they enter the South African market. Approvals are conducted in accordance with the relevant policies and procedures. The regulator deploys a risk-based approach and evaluates the evidence of conformity submitted with the application for approval, only granting approval when the requirements of the relevant VCs have been met. The evidence of conformity includes a valid test report, issued by an appropriately accredited body.

The Role of Inspectors

Market surveillance inspectors, deriving their powers from the NRCS Act, Act 5 of 2008, as amended, conduct inspections on the market to verify compliance to the requirements of the relevant VCs. Where non-compliant products are found on the market, the inspectors are empowered to issue the appropriate sanctions in accordance with the enabling legislation to prevent such products from entering the market, thus protecting the health and safety of consumers.

The Inspection Process

In the process of conducting inspections, samples of products may be taken from the market for testing or to be kept as evidence. The sampled products are tested at the Third Party Accredited Conformity Assessment Bodies to verify compliance. The inspection process may include but is not limited to, the verification of the approval status of the products in question, conducting visual inspections in accordance with the requirements of the VC, verification of levies due to the regulator, and the evaluation of any relevant documentation that may be requested by the inspector, to assess conformity with the requirements.

List of VC's OF Regulated Products

LOA and Application FORMS

Database of Approved Products

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, in order to monitor and enforce compliance with this Act and, subject to the conditions of his or her appointment, an inspector may at any reasonable time and without prior notice enter any premises, other than a private dwelling, in or upon which

(a)  an article in respect of which there is a compulsory specification, is

(i)  manufactured or sold;

(ii)  stored or used in the course of any business; or

(iii) stored for any purpose in connection with the import or export of the commodity or product;

(b)  any manufacture, sale, use or storage is reasonably suspected; or

(c)  any records with regard to the import, manufacture or sale of an article referred to in

paragraph (a) or (b) are kept.​

There are application forms that you need to complete and submit to NRCS together with the proof of payment and required documentation that are specified on forms​​

No, you get the LOA certificate first, and then import products.​
​

Yes, as long as the laboratory is accredited by a body that is a member of ILAC.​

Commodities have different validity periods​

Updated fees are gazetted annually and available on the NRCS website.​

Yes. If assistance is required, the relevant inspectors can be contacted for appointments. ​

From SABS Standards Sales.​

NRCS approval is compulsory and SABS certification is voluntarily.​

All products covered under the scope of a Compulsory Specifications shall comply with the requirements in South Africa. NRCS will therefore assess compliance to the relevant specifications.​

Application forms are obtainable from the NRCS website, can be emailed or faxed and or can be collected at all NRCS offices.​​

The lists are obtainable on the NRCS website or can be requested from the Business Unit. ​​

Levy

​Contact Details
Thandi Mogodi​

Personal Assistant

: Thandi.Mogodi@nrcs.org.za
:+27 (0) 12 482 8835 ​​​​​​

Rhoda Masupye​​​

Manager: Environmental Protection & Customer Concerns Reporting​​
​

:​Rhoda.Masupye@nrcs.org.za
:+27 (0) 12 482 8835 ​​​​

Donovan Cicero

Manager: CMM Regional Operations and Customer Concerns Reporting

:​Donovan.Cicero@nrcs.org.za​​​​​​​​
:+27 (0) 21 526 ​​​​​​​​​​3442

CMM Approval Office​​​

CMM Approvals

: CMMAPPROVALS@nrcs.org.za

: Pusheletso.Makwela ​@nrcs.org.za​
:+27 (0) 12 482 8996​​​​​​​​​​​​​​