Non-Tariff Barriers :: Complaints

Complaint

Complaint number

NTB-000-534

NTB Type

8.4. Transport related corruption

Complaint

On the aforemention date, one of my fuel tankers, was stopped by Mozambique Environmental Officials at the Machipanda border post. The officials advised that they wanted to inspect the fire extinguishers and the driver cooperated by placing the 4 extinguishers at their disposal.

The Officials then pulled the pin on all four extinguishers and discharged the powder. They then told the driver that they were satisfied that the extinguishers worked, and he could proceed.

You cannot do this to a fire extinguisher. It is not like an aerosol can that keeps its pressure. Once you depress the handle and discharge even a small amount of powder, the fire extinguisher is exhausted and of no further use.

Officials can check if the extinguisher is valid on the certificate on the side of the extinguisher and if the site glass indicates pressure in the green.

If we need an extinguisher and the officials have discharged it, we are at the mercy of the fire.

Status note

At the Tripartite NTBs Online Reporting, Monitoring and Eliminating Mechanism Meeting to Launch the SMS Reporting Tool held from 9-10 April 2013 in Lusaka, ZambiaMozambique reported that this was a mistake by officer on duty and this matter has since been corrected and therefore resolved.

Progress update note

Policy or regulatory NTB

Location

Mozambique: Delegação Aduaneira de Machipanda (Road) (Border post)

Reporting Country or Region

Zambia

Country specific trade issue

Date of incident

2012-09-30

Status

Resolved

Date of resolution

2013-04-10

Product Description

Fuel

Computer-assisted translation

Total value

250.00

Date reported

2012-10-11 13:24

Modified

2013-04-16 10:03