SABS certification for Electrical and electronic products
 

  1. Basis for SABS certification of electronic and electrical products

The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) requires electrical products and accessories, electrical equipment and gambling and entertainment equipment to comply with the following statutory and regulatory mandatory code requirements:

Published in Government Gazette 17548 on 8 November 1996 “ Government Notice R. 1792” It lists mandatory safety standards for electrical and electronic equipment. Meanwhile, “ Government Gazette ” 25306 published on 15 August 2003 “ Government Notice R. 1164 and R. 1165” New requirements for low and medium voltage cables are specified.  

  SANS 10142-1 Wiring Code/Wiring of Premises (Low voltage installations) specifies all products used in wiring installations for buildings, All shall comply with this regulation.  

South Africa's National Gambling Act, Act No.7 of 2004 provides that South African Bureau of Standards (SABS Regulatory Affairs & Consumer Protection Division's Electrical Equipment and Gambling Entertainment Division (Electrotechnical & The Gaming department evaluates the testing reports issued by registered gambling equipment testing laboratories and evaluates their certification of products covering gambling equipment used in South Africa and surveillance equipment, control systems used in legal gambling establishments.  

 

2.   Applicable range of electrical and electronic products and adoption standards

The electronic and electrical products included in the above mandatory specifications have the following 16 categories, South Africa is a member of the CB system, its certification is mainly based on IEC international electrical standards or national standards:

Household and similar products: using the SANS IEC 60335 series of standards;  

Information technology products: using a series of standards IEC 60950;  

Audio, video and electronic entertainment equipment: using a series of standards SANS IEC 60065;  

Handheld power tools: using the series of standards SANS IEC 60745;  

Removable power tools: series standard SANS IEC 61029;  

Universal luminaire: SANS IEC 60598;  

Entertainment equipment: SANS 1718;  

Manual switch: SABS VC 8003, SABS VC 8052;  

Plugs, sockets and socket adapters: SABS VC 8008;  

Lamp holder: SABS VC 8011;  

Tubular fluorescent lamp starter: SABS VC 8039;  

Incandescent lamp: SABS VC 8043;  

Circuit breaker: SABS VC 8036;  

Appliance connector: SABS VC 8012;  

Power line device and power line extension device: SABS VC 8029;  

Ground protection device: SABS VC 8035;  

Wire and cable: standard SABS VC 8006, SABS VC 8075-2003, SABS VC 8077-2003.  

 

3.   Requirements for certification of electrical and electronic products

Electronic and electrical products entering the South African market must bear the SABS logo. The SABS logo contains a Letter of Authority (LOA) certificate and a CoC certificate for EMC. LOA can only be issued to the importer. Once the goods are imported, the arrival list and LOA need to be submitted to the customs clearance agent for customs clearance. After the declaration is completed, the South African Customs will return the LOA to the customs clearance agency, and the LOA can continue to be used for future imports of the same goods from this supplier. Coformance (Certificate of Conformance) is a certificate used to confirm EMI compliance and is required for all electrical products. So far, there are no EMC anti-jamming requirements in South Africa, but regulations in this area are being prepared. CoC is not a certification mark, but a certificate issued after passing the EMI test.

SABS certification of electrical and electronic products in South Africa requires meeting safety and EMC requirements, using IEC standards + minimal South African deviations. The power grid voltage/frequency in South Africa is 220V/50Hz (240V/50Hz in some areas), and its power cord plugs must meet the requirements of the South African standard SABS 164-1-1997 or SABS 164-2-1997 for Class I products with ground pins and Class II plugs without ground pins.

 

  4. Electronic and electrical products need to obtain the certificate

    All electronic and electrical products included in the above mandatory specifications, manufacturers or importers to sell, need to obtain the corresponding certificate. Electrical products and accessories, electrical equipment and gambling and entertainment equipment to enter the South African market must be approved by SABS in accordance with the South African mandatory standard SANS and issued the following certificates (see table below).

    A memorandum of understanding between the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) to ensure strict import controls. Customs officers will check the manufacturer's certificate against the database published by SARS in real time. Commodities listed in the relevant mandatory regulations can only enter the South African market if they hold the original valid certificate of the relevant product.

Product category requires the corresponding certificate

Electrical Products and Accessories LOA (Letter of Authority)

Regulators Compliance Certificate RCC (Regulators Compliance Certificate)

Authorization Certificate (AC)

LOC (Letter of Certification)