The South African Bureau of Standards has urged consumers to seek professional advice before buying baby car seats or carrycot seats.
The South African Bureau of Standards has urged consumers to seek professional advice before buying baby car seats or carrycot seats.
Dries van Tonder, manager at the SABS's automotive regulatory and components division, warned that failure to do so could put the lives of children at risk.
He said SABS inspectors discovered two consignments of non-compliant carrycot seats while doing routine inspections at two retail shops in Johannesburg.
"A carrycot is a child restraint that is mounted to the seat of a motor vehicle. It is equipped with safety control systems to hold an infant or a person with a small stature in the event of an accident," said Van Tonder.
He said the first consignment of non-compliant seats was found at Evermore, a company in Newtown, while the second was found at Plenty Trading at the China Mart in Crown Mines.
Van Tonder said after following procedures, inspectors requested the retailers to produce a proof of compliance.
The companies did not have SABS permits to either sell or import the seats.
The seats have now been removed from the shelves of both companies.
The seats will be destroyed because the companies failed to supply the bureau with compliance certificates.
"The SABS feels that this is a gross violation of consumer rights and the right to safety of the most vulnerable members of our society, the children," Van Tonder said.
All legitimate baby seats would bear an SABS-approved mark, or a laboratory mark, said the Auto Mobile Association's Prince Moloi.
SABS inspectors remove baby car seats and carry cots from two Joburg retailers
The South African Bureau of Standards has urged consumers to seek professional advice before buying baby car seats or carrycot seats.
The South African Bureau of Standards has urged consumers to seek professional advice before buying baby car seats or carrycot seats.
Dries van Tonder, manager at the SABS's automotive regulatory and components division, warned that failure to do so could put the lives of children at risk.
He said SABS inspectors discovered two consignments of non-compliant carrycot seats while doing routine inspections at two retail shops in Johannesburg.
"A carrycot is a child restraint that is mounted to the seat of a motor vehicle. It is equipped with safety control systems to hold an infant or a person with a small stature in the event of an accident," said Van Tonder.
He said the first consignment of non-compliant seats was found at Evermore, a company in Newtown, while the second was found at Plenty Trading at the China Mart in Crown Mines.
Van Tonder said after following procedures, inspectors requested the retailers to produce a proof of compliance.
The companies did not have SABS permits to either sell or import the seats.
The seats have now been removed from the shelves of both companies.
The seats will be destroyed because the companies failed to supply the bureau with compliance certificates.
"The SABS feels that this is a gross violation of consumer rights and the right to safety of the most vulnerable members of our society, the children," Van Tonder said.
All legitimate baby seats would bear an SABS-approved mark, or a laboratory mark, said the Auto Mobile Association's Prince Moloi.
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