Regulator shows 'bias' - judge

Contract for testing the pad awarded to ECE 90, a subsidiary of GUD.

- Hein Kaiser

COURT CASE: SPAREPRO OBJECTS TO COMPETITOR TESTING AND REJECTING ITS BRAKE PADS.

The National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) may head to court to defend its reputation after a high court judge found that it had shown "clear bias" in a process to safety test car brake pads.

NRCS, which is mandated to uphold national technical standards, is contemplating going to the Supreme Court of Appeal or the Constitutional Court to seek to reverse the ruling.

The high court not only ruled against the statutory body but ordered it to return stocks of the brake pads, which had been seized, to the manufacturer. The stock had not been returned at the time of going to press.

The legal wrangle was initiated by automotive parts distributor Sparepro against NRCS and direct competitor GUD Holdings.