20 Sep 2018

Government is in the process of reviewing the 2006 Industrial Act to simplify the licensing process and align the legislation with Doing Business Reform Roadmap.

This was stated by the Department of Industrial Affairs’ Mr Mmoloki Phalantwa during  the ongoing Central District full council session.

“Doing Business Reform Roadmap recommends that organisations should monitor their adherence to legal, ethical of safety standards,” he said.

Mr Phalantwa indicated that new provisions the bill seeks  to introduce include giving the director of industrial affairs powers to assume the function of licensing manufacturing enterprises.

“The director has been given the supervision, investigation and searching of manufacturing enterprises,” he said. The proposed provisions give the director the responsibility of keeping and maintaining a manufacturing register accessible to the public for inspection.

He noted that the retained provisions with amendments were in three categories.

“Small, medium and large scale enterprise with health and safety issues will be licensed by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry. These enterprises include animal feed and baby formula,” he said.

He said the other two categories, medium and large enterprises without health and safety issues would not  require licenseing while small and micro ones would still be regulated.

Regarding appeals, he said it was proposed that they be transferred from the board to the minister.

He said some fines had been reviewed upward adding that forges or fronts attracted a fine not exceeding P20 000 for a first offence and not more thantwo years imprisonment or to both for a second or subsequent offence.

Councillors raised concern about the  implications of transferring powers from a panel to an individual.

They however said the board process was time consuming and lengthy and as such delayed the process of issuing business owners with licenses.

While supervision of businesses remained a challenge, they expressed the hope that inspections would be routinely and frequently done. ENDS