South Africa’s Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition has warned of an “imminent collapse” of the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), the nation's custodian of quality assurance.

A member of the committee told state media, SABC, that the agency's critical operational deficiencies included an inability to conduct basic product testing.

During a recent oversight visit to the SABS headquarters in Pretoria, the committee's investigation uncovered a concerning array of systemic failures in the SABS.

"The South African Bureau of Standards is the custodian of our quality systems as a country… the concerns that have been raised relate to the breakdown in systems, laboratories, the destruction of material, the loss of accreditation,” Committee member Toby Chance said.

‘Cyber-attack’

Adding to the crisis, outdated and poorly maintained computer systems were highlighted, with a “very serious cyber attack” last November further compromising the agency's operational integrity.

In January, South Africa’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau the Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition announced an investigation into the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS).

The development coincides with heightened public anxiety in South Africa following a series of recent food poisoning incidents, underscoring the vital role of a functional SABS in safeguarding public health.

The Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition says it is calling for “urgent and decisive action to address the systemic failures within the SABS, restoring the functionality of laboratories, regaining lost accreditations, and modernising the agency's technological infrastructure.”