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Cape Town - Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies denied interfering at the National Regulator for Compulsory Specification (NRCS) that allegedly led to its CEO's resignation.
Asogan Moodley, who headed up the NRCS, unexpectedly resigned, allegedly because he found the department to be uncooperative.
Bdlive reported that Moodley, who is understood to have recently issued a directive to his staff instructing them to speed up the issuing of the letters of authorisation to allow imports to enter South Africa, allegedly resigned because of frustration at the lack of cooperation from the Department of Trade and Industry in processing these letters of authority.
A source told BDlive that Moodley was compelled to withdraw the directive, following complaints from union members. He allegedly refused and then resigned.
But Davies denied this. “Despite media reports to the contrary,” the department said in a statement, “Minister Davies wishes to emphatically state that he has never issued any instruction to the CEO to withdraw any directive.
"This is a complete fabrication. Minister Davies simply expects management and labour to implement the targets with respect to the letters of authorisation,” the ministry said.
The NRCS was the subject of fierce criticism from DA MP Geordin Hill-Lewis who took issue with its delay in issuing letters of authority for goods that are imported into South Africa. The NRCS is supposed to process applications within 120 calendar days, but many businesses have complained that the timeframe was not being adhered to.
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