The blueprint set in motion by trade, industry & competition minister Parks Tau to rein in potentially hazardous, unregulated imports from South Africa’s largest trading partner, China, has been put on hold after intervention by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Tau issued a directive in March 2026 for quality check bodies to start a process to implement a pre-export verification of conformity programme (PVOC) on unregulated Chinese imports.
The directive, meant to ensure imports of unregulated products from China meet safety standards and to protect local industries and consumers, was due to take effect in September. However, the SA Bureau of Standards (SABS) said the process was put on hold after unspecified comments from the WTO in relation to the global trade watchdog’s technical barriers to trade (TBT) process.
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