Safer paraffin stoves and appliances will save the lives of poorer South Africans. This was said by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies at the Safe Paraffin Appliance Campaign held in Theunissen, Free State today.

According to Davies, thousands of South African households use paraffin for cooking, heating or lighting, and many paraffin stoves are dangerous because of poor quality.

He said people in informal settlements lose their homes and belongings in fires caused by sub-standard paraffin stoves, some even lose their lives because the paraffin products they use are cheaper and of inferior quality. “Many households in South Africa use paraffin stoves every day. South Africa has some of the strictest laws in the world governing the safety of these stoves, but sub-standard stoves continue causing fires that result in tragic injury to people and destruction in neighbourhoods, year after year. Paraffin stoves should contain paraffin even if they are knocked over and not spill. We believe these households deserve a high quality, safe stoves to help solve the problem of fire danger,” said Davies.

He added that all paraffin stoves and heaters made and sold in South Africa should be in line with standards set out by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) and comply with the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS).

Davies said it was against the law to sell paraffin stoves and heaters that do not meet these standards. He said government was coming on to manufacturers and distributors of unsafe paraffin products and when they are arrested, they will be prosecuted.

Minister Davies handed out 1500 safe paraffin stoves to residents in exchange of old ones and encouraged them to report distributors of unsafe stoves to the police or the NCRS.

Ms Alfonsina Mphore (60), a resident of Masilo in Theunissen, said she was excited about the new stove provided by Minister Davies and thanked government for providing them with safe paraffin stoves.

“These stoves will save our lives and our belongings as old ones were not safe and put our lives in danger,” she added.

Issued by Department of Trade and Industry