Pretoria - The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has urged customers in possession of high voltage Gizzu portable power station machines to return the products immediately due to possible combustion while charging.
The Consumer Commission's Pheto Ndaba, advised over 3 000 customers in possession of the Gizzu 300Wh and 500Wh portable power stations to immediately stop use and return the products to their various suppliers.
Ndaba said the call came after the importer and distributor of the portable power station, Syntech Distribution issued a precautionary recall of this particular batch of portable energy stations following reports of fire hazards, after they “combusted"while charging.
She said according to this importer, the product was imported from China and distributed and sold through companies and businesses such Takealotm, Builders Warehouse, Makro, Incredible Connection and Hifi Corp.
"The affected devices have a battery manufacturing flaw which presents a possibility of the product self-combusting and melting when it is charging. In cases where the product’s battery does self-combust, a non-toxic cloud of smoke is released, which may present a fire hazard to nearby furniture."
“This recall comes at the time where South Africans are grappling with the effects of rolling blackouts and trying to circumvent the effects of load shedding. It is estimated that 3 500 units were sold, ” said the Acting National Consumer Commissioner, Thezi Mabuza.
Mabuza said while the supplier assured the regulatory body that the recall affected a small number of units, the safety of South African consumers was of utmost importance, all the time.
"Protection of consumers remains our priority. Therefore, we call upon producers and importers of goods to prioritise the safety of consumers by doing everything in their power to ensure that they produce or import goods that are safe and are fit for purpose. The commission is monitoring the recall based on its recall guidelines."
In addition to that Syntech Distribution also listed a query tool on their website for customers to check if their device was among those that were to be returned.
Once online customers enter their device’s serial number, the site will guide them through the process, and also show how to manage the device safely.
Pretoria News