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South Africa withdrew a ministerial directive requiring safety certificates for unregulated goods imported from China, effective September 22, 2026.
The directive, before and after withdrawal
| Question | Directive of 20 March 2026 | After withdrawal |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Gazetted, in force | Formally withdrawn |
| Coverage | Wide range of unregulated goods | No safety-certificate mandate |
| Source of goods | Imports from China | All origins, unchanged rules |
| Trigger for reversal | — | Industry associations and WTO feedback |
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) formally withdrew a ministerial directive originally gazetted on March 20, 2026, which would have mandated safety compliance certificates for a wide range of unregulated goods from China. The decision follows extensive feedback and concerns raised by industry associations and the World Trade Organization.