23rd September 2020
Sello Motseta
The Botswana Bureau of Standards(BOBS) and the reformed Competition and Consumer Authority(CCA) have concluded a landmark Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) focusing mainly on consumer protection to ensure that there is appropriate examination and testing of commodities and other materials for quality and safety standards to maximise benefits for consumers.
“It will also serve as the basis for both organizations to leverage on synergies we have to collect and disseminate information ion standards and technical regulations and creation of awareness in connection with standardization and quality assurance which is beneficial to regulators, consumer and our stakeholders,” said Keeper Morgan, Acting Managing Director of Botswana Bureau of Standards(BOBS).
He said, “The collaboration will also go a long way in supporting both our organizations to seamlessly assist our clients with services, including training on standards as may be required by Competition and Consumer Authority(CCA).”
The Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) will also help the co-operating parties to better assist each other in collecting important data as well as research and analysis which is a fundamental step before any enforcement or policy formulation can be undertaken.
Three committees will allegedly perform tasks related to this MoU namely BO fruits and vegetable technical committee, motor vehicle technical committee and packaging and labelling committee.
Tebelelo Pule, Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the Competition and Consumer Authority(CCA), said “Our interest do not only converge but are similar that is, to ensure that goods, services and related products offered in the market place are not detrimental to the welfare on consumers.”
She said, “It is on this basis that the two organizations saw a need to enter into a MoU to facilitate working together by sharing expertise on compliance and related issues, conducting joint inspections on businesses, testing and examining products to ensure good quality for consumers.”
