A Pakistani man has been arrested for allegedly impersonating an Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) inspector, the regulatory authority says.
The man was arrested at China City Mall, in the south of Johannesburg, last week, and charged with fraud, after allegedly threatening shop owners. It is alleged that the 37-year-old Ahmed Abduliah was in possession of the radio equipment-type approval application forms and was checking whether shop owners were selling approved cellphones.
ICASA says in a statement the man threatened three shop owners, who challenged him to produce his ICASA inspectors' card, which he failed to do. One of the shop owners then contacted a legitimate inspector, who denied knowledge of a Pakistani man working for the authority as an inspector.
“The shop owner immediately alerted the Langlaagte Police, and the man, allegedly from Burgersfort, in Limpopo, was arrested and charged with fraud,” says ICASA. The authority adds that charges were laid by the three shop owners, and it will engage with the police to add additional charges in terms of the ICASA Act.
In March last year, the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) confiscated thousands of products in China City Mall. The NRCS team, assisted by police officers, raided several Chinese-owned stores where close to 50 000 products, that didn't comply with compulsory specifications, were confiscated.
Products that were confiscated range from cellphone chargers, adapters, body massage equipment, cigarette lighters, electronic cigarettes, clock radios, table fans, touch lights, plastic carrier bags, swimming aid equipment, radios, plugs, extension cords, DVD players, hairdryers, hot plates and kettles. These products are estimated to cost millions of rands.
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