NRCS halts sale of short mass cement bags in PE

The National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) on Tuesday, 20 July 2010, said it had served embargo notices on IPC and Ezamvelo Trading for violating the Trade Metrology Act.

The NRCS's Legal Metrology Division in Port Elizabeth noted that the companies were supplying bags of cement that were below the declared weight on the package (50kg).

This was uncovered during routine inspections at various cement retailers in the city.

Tests conducted in the stores during inspections concluded that some bags declared as 50kgs only weighed as little as 46.76kgs and subsequently, a total of about 90 000 imported cement bags from both companies were prohibited from being offered for sale.

"The Regulator has instructed the two companies not to sell the products to consumers until corrective action has been undertaken.

"This is in line with the NRCS' mandate of protecting human health, safety and the environment, as well as ensuring fair trade across the markets," the NRCS said.