Zimbabwe to have statutory standards body

The Zimbabwe Government on Tuesday approved the principles of the Bill which seeks to establish a statutory body to regulate quality and standards in the country.

The Standards Bill seeks to create the Standards Institute of Zimbabwe, whose main mandate will be to develop, publish and promote voluntary standards and quality assurance in industry and commerce.

In the absence of a statutory body, Zimbabwe has relied on the private voluntary organisation, the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ).

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, told the media that the Standards Bill will guide the development of voluntary standards in the protection of safety, health and the environment.

“The Bill will provide for the establishment of Provincial Standards Committees which will be entrusted with supervision, administration and financial management functions in the provinces,” he said.

Dr Muswere said the introduction of the Standards Law will help grow the country’s exports through regulating the quality of goods and services under the consolidated African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) market.

The framework of standards will be cascaded to all the country’s provinces to support the rural industrialisation agenda through production of quality and competitive goods and services, he said.

Responding to media enquiries, Industry and Commerce Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu said SAZ had ably represented the country but the norm internationally was for States to have statutory standards bodies.

He said SAZ will decide whether to disband or to continue its work through advocacy. – New Ziana-ebusinessweekly