THE proposed legislation for the Eswatini Standards Authority (ESWASA) can play a significant role in increasing exports and stimulating economic growth.
Senate President Lindiwe Dlamini noted that many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) were producing innovative products that are widely used by consumers, including soap and petroleum jelly products.
However, she said many of these products lacked the necessary standards certification required to access larger markets.
She was speaking during the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade portfolio committee workshop at the Hilton Garden Inn on Thursday.
This was after ESWASA Executive Director Ncamiso Mhlanga made a presentation about their operations.
Mhlanga stated that the implementation of standards across various organisations remained a challenge largely due to current laws that do not make compliance mandatory.
He said this has affected efforts to ensure consistent quality, safety and efficiency across different industries, hence the proposed amendments to strengthen the law and give standards greater enforcement power.
Dlamini described ESWASA as a key institution that should be consulted across all sectors, including health, agriculture, infrastructure and others.
She therefore called for the alignment of ESWASA legislation and standards requirements across all government ministries.
The Senate president also raised concerns about the handling of products suspected to pose risks to public health.
She questioned why authorities wait for investigations to be completed before removing potentially harmful products from the market.
Using reports of dangerous pads as an example, she suggested that suspected products, goods and services should be temporarily suspended or removed from circulation while investigations are underway to prevent further harm, particularly to young people whose reproductive health could be affected.
She further stated that a well-implemented ESWASA framework would enable the country to benefit meaningfully from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
This, she said, would allow more local companies to participate in intra-African trade opportunities and contribute to economic growth.
She emphasised that the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade has a critical role to play in transforming local businesses into export-ready enterprises capable of competing in regional markets.
“For example, locally produced petroleum jelly is a product that could be marketed across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) if it obtained the necessary International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification.
“Strengthening standards compliance and certification would unlock new markets for local manufacturers, boost exports and create opportunities for economic expansion,” said the Senate president.
Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo said this law would come with a certificate of urgency.
He said discrepancies were very glaring in the current legislation and its implementation. It is limited, hence the need to strengthen it.
“At times when you work it is difficult to get people that are like-minded, hence the long time to amend. I am glad that with Mhlanga we are like-minded, he fully understands what needs to be done and we are in sync,” said Khumalo.
