Chairperson, the ACDP is pleased to speak in favour of the Measurement Units and Measurement Standards Bill and the Accreditation for Conformity Assessment, Calibration and Good Laboratory Practice Bill. South Africa has become an important role-player in the global village and therefore needs to conform to international best practices.
These Bills, inter alia, seek to restructure the South African technical regulatory infrastructure and to optimise South African standards, quality assurance, accreditation and our metrology system. Bringing to life an independent national metrology institute will not only enhance the technical infrastructure of the Republic of South Africa but will continue to be a direct link to the Meter Convention for SADC, through the SADC co- operation in metrology, and will provide appropriate measurements, traceable not only to South Africa but to the whole of the SADC region.
South Africa needs a body like the South African National Accreditation System that would be internationally recognised for calibration, conformity, assessment and good laboratory practices. The ACDP is convinced that the role that Sanas will play as an effective accreditation and monitoring body in South Africa will have a positive impact on technical services rendered by other SADC countries soon. The ACDP supports the Bills. [Interjections.] [Time expired.]