Lusaka Crackdown





.... ZCSA Confiscates Non-Compliant Goods Valued at K282,171.50
By Francis Maingaila

Lusaka, Zambia - (November 24, 2024) – The Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) has conducted a major enforcement operation, seizing 1,444 non-compliant electrical products in Lusaka valued at K45,451.50 and restricting 651 assorted goods worth K236,720. 

Brian Hatyoka, Acting Communication and Public Relations Manager, told journalists in a statement that the ongoing Open Market Surveillance (OMS) inspections, conducted from November 11 to 15, 2024, across key areas such as Town Centre, Soweto Market, and the Intercity Bus Terminus, had led to the seizure of non-compliant items valued at K282,171.50.



Hatyoka  said that electrical fittings and connections accounted for the highest proportion of seized products, making up 83 percent of the total. 

Other non-compliant items included fruit-flavored drinks, washing detergents, and potable spirits. 

According to Hatyoka, Inspectors identified a range of issues, including incorrect labeling, incompatible pins, missing fuses, and products that were not registered with the Agency. 

"These non-compliant products pose serious risks to public safety, including electric shocks, fires, and other injuries," he suggested.

The overall compliance rate in Lusaka stood at 82 percent, involving 145 manufacturers, 216 brands, and 51 trading outlets. 

Hatyoka emphasized that ZCSA would take stringent action against traders found violating the standards set by the Compulsory Standards Act. 

He warned that any trader discovered supplying products that don’t meet these standards will face legal consequences. 



He also urged consumers to be cautious when purchasing products, advising them to buy only from reputable sources and to report any suspicious goods to the nearest ZCSA office.

ZCSA’s mandate, under the Ministry of Commerce, Trade, and Industry, is to administer and enforce compulsory standards for products to ensure public safety, consumer protection, and environmental safety. 

The Agency will soon release the findings from its national surveillance activities, covering inspections in Eastern, Central, Lusaka, Southern, Western, Copperbelt, North-Western, Muchinga, and Northern provinces. 

Non-compliant products identified during these inspections will be seized, withdrawn from the market, and destroyed in accordance with Section 16 (4) (a) and (b) of the Compulsory Standards Act No. 3 of 2017.

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