SA’s present crisis besides damaging trade with Europe and Asia, it also corroborates the criticism by some European countries in regards to the preparedness of the country to host such a mega event like the World Cup come June and July. The SA Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tina Joemat-Pettersson told reporters losses to the industries under her ministry are estimated over 1bn rand ($127mn).

The strike, well over a fortnight has already brought the exim trade of the country to a standstill inflicting potential losses to the job market and international trade contracts. Items like metals, cars, fruits and wine to Europe and Asia, as well as imports of automotive parts and fuel supplies is reported to have affected. FIFA, the football governing body has informed imports of some equipment for the event has also been impacted.

Though it was predicted before the strike the coal and iron ore exports and fuel supplies could be stalled, stocks and supply process as so far avoided such a situation. Likewise, the domestic power supplies also have not been affected much by the strike since coal for the power plants is largely supplied through conveyor belts directly from the mines.

The workers of the SA logistics group Transnet which has about 54000 trade union members began strike demanding 15 percent pay hike despite the group conceding 11 percent. Although over 60 percent have returned to work since Monday, the smaller South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) has decided to go ahead with its demand.

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Citing customs statistics, the DPP Legislator Pan Men-an said that 73,830 kg of dried day lily, purportedly from Vietnam, were imported into Taiwan in 2009, a 27 percent rise from the 58,108 kg that entered Taiwan’s market in 2008. Taiwan’s ban on the import of 830 Chinese agricultural products, including dried day lily is still in force though the FTA talks between both countries are at full swing.

Ho Quoc Phi, deputy head of the Vietnam Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei (VECO), told the CNA that the allegations had formed a major barrier to the import of Vietnamese goods into Taiwan. He further added he had already clarified the situation to Taiwan’s top agricultural authority.

The envoy informed that cases of smuggled Chinese farm produce being brought into Taiwan through Vietnam, including tea, cigarettes and garlic, in 1991, never got the Vietnamese certificates of origin. He claimed issuance of counterfeit certificates attracted severe punishments, and as a result of stringent actions against bootlegging by the end of 1994, no such cases were reported since then.

Pan had earlier alleged “A certificate of origin can be bought at the price of less than US$350.” However, according to Vietnamese authorities, the certificate of origin is not the only document required for the passage of goods but also importers’ transaction and transportation documents.

Ho urged the lawmakers to provide a copy of the counterfeit document to his office, so that its authenticity could be verified. He also agreed to run an investigation at his government’s cost provided the charge leveller involved was ready to meet the expenses of investigation if the allegations were found false.

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