Notifications for South Africa (61 notifications)

The Department of Health is correcting that the Draft: Regulations relating to maximum levels of mycotoxins in foodstuffs has been published as Regulations relating to maximum levels of mycotoxins in foodstuffs (No. R. 7091 of 6 February 2026) under the Department of Health in terms of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics, and Disinfectants Act of 1972 (Act No. 54 of 1972). This document corrects the error effective 17 February 2026.

Regulations make provision for the maximum levels of mycotoxins in foodstuffs inder the Department of Health in terms of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics, and Disinfectants Act of 1972 (Act No. 54 of 1972).

The Minister of Agriculture, acting under sections 4, 30, read with sections 13 (2), 14, 15, 16 and 23 of the Plant Health (Phytosanitary) Act, 2024 (Act No. 35 of 2024) hereby invites all interested institutions, organizations and individuals to submit written comments and inputs on the proposed Regulations published in Government Gazette No. 53424 on 26 September 2025. The draft Regulations are Control Measures R.6664 of 26 September 2025, Export Regulations R.6665 of 26 September 2025, Import Regulations with a permit R.6667 of 26 September 2025 and Import Regulations without a permit R.6666 of 26 September 2025.

The Compulsory Specification for dried abalone (VC9108) has been published and will come into effect six months after the date of publication.

This is an addendum to South Africa's WTO notification G/SPS/N/ZAF/33, made on 17 December 2013, on the Plant Health (Phytosanitary) Bill.The President of South Africa has assented the Plant Health (Phytosanitary) Bill into law of South Africa as the "Plant Health (Phytosanitary) Act, 2024 (Act No. 35 of 2024)". The Act was published in the Government Gazette No. 51806 on 20 December 2024. The Plant Health Act will repeal the Agricultural Pests Act, 1983 (Act No. 36 of 1983). The date of adoption/enforcement of Plant Health Act is still to be determined, this can only be determined after it has been proclaimed by the President of South Africa. The assent date was 10 December 2024and published on20 December 2024.

The draft aims to establish regulations for the maximum levels of mycotoxins in certain foodstuffs. The Department of Health regulates this under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics, and Disinfectants Act of 1972 (Act No. 54 of 1972).

The draft aims to establish regulations for the use of food additives in food products, including setting maximum limits for these additives. This will be regulated by the Department of Health in accordance with the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics, and Disinfectants Act of 1972 (Act No. 54 of 1972).

This Compulsory Specification requires that chilled smoked finfish and smoke-flavoured finfish (VC8021), which are to be offered for sale, comply with this Compulsory Specification and the requirements of the latest edition of the South African National Standard (SANS) 2877 that apply to the handling, preparation, processing, packing, transportation, storage and quality of smoked finfish, smoke-flavoured finfish and products derived therefrom, as well as the requirements for the ingredients of the products covered by this specification. The hygiene requirements for the product, as well as chemical and microbiological contaminant requirements for the product, and the requirements for employees at the packing facility, shall comply with the requirements of the latest edition of SANS 2877.

The harvest, manufacture, processing, transport, handling and treatment of dried abalone, as well as the requirements for the ingredients, shall comply with the requirements of the latest edition of SANS 2329.

This amendment requires that frozen shrimps (prawns), langoustines and crabs, and products derived therefrom, for human consumption, which are to be offered for sale, comply with this amended compulsory specification which introduces that imported products are produced in food handling/manufacturing facilities that comply with Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) that are approved/certified by Competent Authorities in their country of origin. The introduction of a health guarantee/import certification requires Competent Authority in the country of origin attests to monitoring safety of facilities and consignments on the certificate, similar to processes conducted by authorities for local production. The technical requirements of the South African National Standard (SANS) 788: 2024 are that applies to the handling, preparation, processing, packing, transportation, freezing, storage and quality are still applicable to support this amendment.SPS element: This compulsory specification specifies microbiological requirements for disease-causing organisms for frozen shrimps (prawns), langoustines and crabs, and products derived therefrom.

This amendment requires that frozen fish, marine molluscs, and products derived therefrom, for human consumption, which are to be offered for sale, comply with this amended compulsory specification which introduces that imported products are produced in food handling/manufacturing facilities that comply with Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) that are approved/certified by Competent Authorities in their country of origin. The introduction of a health guarantee/import certification requires Competent Authority in the country of origin attests to monitoring safety of facilities and consignments on the certificate, similar to processes conducted by authorities for local production. The technical requirements of the South African National Standard (SANS) 585: 2024 are that applies to the handling, preparation, processing, packing, transportation, freezing, storage and quality are still applicable to support this amendment.     SPS element: This compulsory specification specifies microbiological requirements for disease-causing organisms for frozen fish, marine molluscs, and products derived therefrom.

The amendment to the Regulations makes provision for the maximum limits for pesticide residues in foodstuffs under the control of the Department of Health, in terms of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetic and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act 54 of 1972).

The prohibition for use of agricultural remedies containing chlorpyrifos and cartap hydrochloride as active ingredients under the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development in terms the Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act, 1947 (Act No. 36 of 1947).

The proposed Draft Regulation makes provision for the labelling and advertising of pre-packaged foodstuffs under the control of the Department of Health, in terms of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act 54 of 1972).

The major amendments proposed under Government Notice R. 1013 of 26 May 1989 are as follows:1.    Deletion of species, genera and family of controlled goods in Table 1 of the Government Notice R. 1013 of 26 May 1989. Any person importing any of the deleted controlled goods into the Republic of South Africa shall do so on the authority of an import permit and shall comply with the stipulated associated import conditions thereof. An application form for importation of the deleted controlled goods shall inquired or requested from: planthealthpermits@dalrrd.gov.za2.    Substitution or amendment of Table 3 of the Government Notice R. 1013: Ports of entry. This provides for additional designated ports of entry for the importation of controlled goods in terms of R. 1013.

The proposed Draft amendment to the Regulations makes provision for the maximum limits for pesticide residues in foodstuffs under the control of the Department of Health, in terms of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetic and Disinfectants Act, 1972 (Act 54 of 1972)

The South African eCertification system has developed a module that allows for the receipt of ePhytos sent via the IPPC hub. Trading partners to note that they can now send phytosanitary certitificates (ePhytos) to the NPPOZA electronically.

NPPOZA is advising the World Trade Organization Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures that it has finalised a pest risk analysis that evaluates the risks associated with the importation of fresh mango fruit from India into South Africa. Based on the analysis, the NPPOZA has determined that the attached phytosanitary workplan will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests via the importation of fresh mango fruit from India.

The amendment concerns making provisions for the Globally Harmonized System (GHS)of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals; introduction of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development principles of Good Laboratory Practice (OECD GLP); prohibition of registration and use of active ingredients and their formulation that meet criteria 1A of the GHS, relating to carcinogenicity, mutagenicity and reproductive toxin, as well as active ingredients listed in Annexes A and B of the Stockholm Convention, and those meeting all criteria in paragraph 1 of Annex D. The amendment also makes provision for record-keeping of the agricultural remedies quantity sold.

Template for phytosanitary certificates issued by National Plant Protection Organization of South Africa (NPPOZA) will contain watermarks as an additional safeguard.