By Felix Katyetye
The Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) has confiscated items valued at more than K290,000 in Lusaka.
The operation targeted various areas including Kamwala Trading area, Oasis, Westgate, and Levy Malls, where electric cables, adaptors, and household appliances such as kettles, plate cookers, and toasters were seized for failing to meet mandatory standards.
ZCSA Acting Manager – Communication and Public Relations, Brain Hatyoka said of the seized items, valued at K42,090 have been removed from the market due to non-compliance, with plans for disposal underway.
Hatyoka says the move comes as a measure to mitigate potential risks to public safety, including electric shock, fire hazards, and property damage, posed by these substandard products.
“Products worth K248,499 have been quarantined pending corrective measures as stipulated by the Compulsory Standards Act No. 3 of 2017. Among the violations identified during the operation, 56 plugs, sockets, and adaptors were found to have incorrect color coding, while 121 electric cables lacked registration with the Agency. Additionally, 1,442 plugs, sockets, and adaptors did not meet the Zambian Standard 558,” he added.
ZCSA has further issued a stern warning to traders engaging in the illegal supply of non-compliant products, emphasizing the significant risks they pose to public safety.
Hatyoka reassured the consumers of various products of his Agency’s continued enforcement efforts to ensure only safe products are available on the market.
“Consumers are urged to purchase goods from reputable sources and report any suspicious products to the nearest ZCSA office,” he said.
