The SABS warns that some Information Technology (IT) standards are at risk because of inadequate industry participation in the SABS Technical Committees

The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) has sounded the alarm that some information technology (IT) standards are at risk of being withdrawn if the industry does not actively participate in the relevant SABS technical committees.

South African National Standards (SANS) are developed and maintained through technical committees, where technical committees comprise members of the industry, academics, government, regulators and any interested party or individual.

The SABS Technical Committee 001 (Information technology) is the main committee responsible for the governance of all information technology sub-committees. 

TC 001 requires industry representatives with the requisite technical expertise to participate in the various subcommittees that will enable the approval and development of new standards projects as well as re-affirm the relevance of existing national standards.  Standards in the industry range from printer cartridges, computers, IT accessories, infrastructure and IT security. 

“The SABS actively encourages relevant stakeholders within this sector to submit their interest to participate in the SABS standards development committees. A committee that is inactive will result in the industry not having state of the art and relevant technical solutions to support innovation and industrialization of the sector. A further risk is the possibility of withdrawing the current list of national standards within this sector due to the inability of re-affirming these standards which is conducted through the SABS technical committees and sub-committees,” says Dr Sadhvir Bissoon, Divisional Head of the SABS Standards.  

The SABS therefore invites representatives from Industry and other stakeholder categories to submit an interest to participate in the following SABS standards development sub-committees:

• SABS TC0001/SC28 Office Equipment
• SABS TC0001/SC32 Data Management and Interchange
• SABS TC0001/SC34 Document Description and Processing Languages
• SABS TC0001/SC35 User Interfaces

Dr Bissoon explains that SANS evolve over the years to reflect societal, environmental and technological changes and it is imperative that industries get more involved and participate in national standards that will impact the way the industry operates thereby meeting market needs.

Currently, there are several updated IT and related standards available from international standards organisations that could be of great importance for South Africa to adopt as South African National Standards (SANS), however, this requires an established SABS technical committee with diverse member representation to consider and recommend standards to be developed.

The following standards will be impacted should the SABS not be successful in achieving the requisite industry stakeholder representation and participation in the above-mentioned SABS sub-committees:

• SANS 19796-1 ED1 Information technology – Learning, education and training – Quality management, assurance and metrics Part 1: General approach
• SANS 19798 ED1 Method for the determination of toner cartridge yield for colour printers and multifunction devices that contain printer components
• SANS 24705 ED1 Information technology – Office machines – Machines for colour image reproduction – Method of specifying image reproduction of colour devices by digital and analog test charts
• SANS 24734 Information technology – Office equipment – Method for measuring digital Printing Productivity
• SANS 24735 Information technology – Office equipment – Method for measuring digital copying productivity
• SANS 9075-3ED1 Information technology – Database languages – SQL Part 3: Call-Level Interface (SQL/CLI)
• SANS 9075-9 :ED1 Information technology – Database languages – SQL Part 9: Management of External Data (SQL/MED)
• SANS 9075-10:ED 1 Information technology – Database languages – SQL Part 10: Object Language Bindings (SQL/OLB)
• SANS 19752ED1 Information technology – Method for the determination of toner cartridge yield for monochromatic electro photographic printers and multi-function devices that contain printer components
• SANS 19757-2 ED1 Information technology – Document Schema Definition Language (DSDL) Part 2: Regular-grammar- based validation
• SANS 19757-3 ED1 Information technology – Document Schema Definition Languages
  • (DSDL) Part 3: Rule based validation – Schematron
• SANS 19757-4 ED1 Information technology – Document Schema Definition Languages
  • (DSDL) Part 4: Namespace-based Validation Dispatching Language (NVDL)
• SANS 11581-1 ED1 Information technology – User system interfaces and symbols – Icon symbols and functions Part 1: Icons – General
• SANS 11581-3 ED1 Information technology – User system interfaces and symbols – Icon symbols and functions Part 3: Pointer icons
• SANS 15418 ED1 Information technology – EAN/UCC Application Identifiers and Fact Data

Identifiers and Maintenance

• SANS 19765 ED1 Information technology – Survey of icons and symbols that provide access

to functions and facilities to improve the use of information technology products by the

elderly and persons with disabilities

Participation and membership to the SABS technical committees are free of charge and on a voluntary basis. The SABS kindly requests relevant stakeholders to submit their interest to participate in any of the above-mentioned sub-committees to info@sabs.co.za