Expired and substandard goods burned in Juba.

South Sudan Bureau of Standard on Saturday destroyed loads of expired and substandard goods collected from markets in Juba City.

In December 2023, the Standards’ quality assurance department carried out market inspections around Juba, particularly at Malakia, Konyo-Konyo, Customs market, Yei Road, some hotels and supermarkets.

The chairperson of the Bureau, Dr Kuorwel Kuai said purpose of the campaign was to remove expired, damage, counterfeits and substandard goods from the markets.

During the campaign, the SSBS team was able to collect more than 5,000 expired and substandard commercial items from different locations in the capital.

“This is done under the market surveillance unit of the quality assurance department the purpose of the campaign was to remove expired, damaged and counterfeit and substandard goods from the market,” said Dr. Kuai.

The items collected include beverages, soft drinks, food items, lubricants, engine oil and many more.

The goods were disposed of and gutted at a trashsite in an event witnessed by the Bureau of Standards Chairperson Dr. Kuorwel Kwai, and the Minister of Trade and Industry, William Anyuon.

Dr. Kuai added that the goods are destroyed according to the South Sudan National Bureau of Standard Act and Regulations.

“These assorted goods cannot be allowed in the markets in Juba here, or across the Republic of South Sudan,” he said.

“These products are therefore to be destroyed in accordance with chapter 3 section 23 point 6 and 25 of SSNBS Regulations 2017. We want to inform all the business communities that we all know that we import goods.”

“We also want to inform the public that when we clear some goods that are imported from our points of entry, we just do not stop there, we continue to do market surveillance.”

For his part, the National Minister of Trade and Industry William Anyuon stresses that most of the goods and building materials expired from 2020-2021.

“Most of the Food that we eat and building materials that we have here are expired. Some expired even in 2020 and 2021, five years ago, so our team managed to get all these things that you can see here.”

He said the government is surprised that national traders are selling the substandard goods.

“It is our surprise that our national traders, the national companies and retailors, and our people from South Sudan that because of the money, they decided to sell these substandard goods.”