Chairperson
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a privilege for me to participate in the programme of this event, focussing on the theme, “Building success together in changing times.” You will agree with me that we are currently experiencing challenging times, requiring inspirational action within the health sector of South Africa in dealing with changes in lifestyle, diet and environment as a result of, among others, the inevitability of rapid globalisation. The topic of my speech is: 'Translating food control related healthcare standards into action,” and I will try my best to do justice to the importance of the mentioned topic through the aspects which I intend focusing on.
The setting of standards within the health sector is a very important function of the national Department of Health. This responsibility is not only in a general context placed on the government as a whole by the Constitution of the country, but very explicitly placed on the department by the sector specific legislation passed by Parliament, namely the National Health Act No. 61 of 2003, which in the text of the long title of the act states: 'To provide a framework for a structured uniform health system within the republic, taking into account the obligations imposed by the Constitution and other laws on the national, provincial and local governments with regard to health services; and to provide for matters connected therewith.'
In this regard the act provides a list of 'general functions' applicable to the national department and task myself as the Director-General to, among others, issue, and promote adherence to, norms and standards on health matters, which includes also aspects related to nutritional interventions and environmental conditions that constitutes a health hazard, both of which could be directly linked to the food control related function of the department.
'Food control' as adapted to provide for the constitutional arrangements within South Africa, is defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a mandatory regulatory activity of enforcement by national, provincial or local authorities to provide consumer protection and ensure that all foods during production, handling, storage, processing and distribution are safe, wholesome and fit for human consumption; conform to quality and safety requirements; and are honestly and accurately labelled as prescribed by law.
Within the Department of Health, we have a directorate dealing with all food control related matters, with the aim to ensure an optimal non-personal preventative primary health care service in respect of the safety of food for the South African community, based on basic needs and the right to make informed choices without being misled, by means of scientifically founded legislation, auditing and information actions. It is within the context of the aspect of scientifically founded legislation that the responsibility of the department, as it relates to the setting of standards, applies to food control. The mentioned standards can be found in the provisions of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act No. 54 of 1972 and more specifically the approximately 50 sets of food related regulations published by the Minister of Health in terms of the act.
The mentioned regulations, although based as far as possible on guidance provided through the standards, guidelines and codes of practice adopted by the Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, the contents of which where applicable reflects the needs and realities of the food sector in the country. An example of this aspect can be found in the measures included in the regulations governing the General Hygiene Requirements for Food Premises and the Transport of Food, generally known within the food sector as the R.918 regulations.
During the process of finalising the regulations in 1998, it was realised that a large number of persons who were self-employed in what is referred to as the informal sector or economy of the country, including vendors and others trading in a wide range of food products such as fresh produce, snack foods and even ready to eat meals prepared and sold from temporary stalls and other structures erected in public places such as sidewalks, bus and taxi ranks, etc.
The department ensured that the provisions of the R.918 Regulations be formulated in such a way that it provided an opportunity for these members of the informal sector to obtain approval from the Environmental Health Practitioners (EHP's) employed by the municipalities, in the event of their facilities complying to the minimum standards as stipulated in the regulations in question.
This aspect was further supported by the inclusion of the principal of 'best available method', which is defined in R.918 as a method which is practicable and necessary for the protection of food against contamination or spoilage, having due regard to local conditions and circumstances whether at or on food premises or elsewhere, the prevailing extent of established practice and the financial implications thereof. The mentioned situation serves as a specific example of how food control related health standards are put into action when legislation was developed related to the hygienic handling of food.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Further to the above, the provisions of the National Health Act requires that, as Director-General, it is also my responsibility to liaise with national health departments in other countries and with international agencies, such as the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, in accordance with national health policy. The department therefore supports the general objective of the mentioned commission, namely to harmonise food standards globally in the interest of protecting consumers against the detrimental effects of unsafe food, and to enhance international trade. As such, the department is committed to the incorporation of Codex standards where applicable, into the health sector related food legislation of South Africa.
Chairperson, as the department, it is however important to emphasise that it is not only the responsibility of the health authorities within the country to put into action the food control related standards as included in the relevant legislation. To achieve the overall goal of 'Safe food for all', the Department of Health considers that a partnership based on a shared responsibility should exist between government, the food industry and consumers.
You would agree with me that it of crucial importance that all the relevant industry role players involved in the entire "food continuum" from the farm to the fork, should accept responsibility for ensuring that the necessary steps have been taken and measures implemented to provide the assurance that the food is safe. As such I would like to appeal to the relevant members of Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA), whom I have been informed, are responsible for the manufacturing and sale of the largest proportion of foodstuffs within the country, to not only commit themselves to ensure the safety of their products at all times through their words or statements only, but to demonstrate it by putting it into actions.
It is in this regard, that I have been encouraged by the statements made recently by this organisation, as well as some of your members, related to their commitment and support for implementing the provisions of the new regulations relating to the labeling and advertising of foodstuffs which were published by the minister on 1 March 2010 in the Government Gazette. Through this commitment, the industry clearly demonstrates its willingness to put into action the relevant health standards relating to the labeling and advertising of their products, in the interest of the country's consumers. It further confirms the example set as well as degree of social responsibility CGCSA and its members are committed to, by ensuring through their actions compliance to the relevant health standards provided for in the food laws of the country.
Being the last step of the food continuum, it is further important that consumers should also play a role in ensuring that the necessary action is taken by government and industry to protect them from being exposed to the risks posed by contaminated or unsafe food. This can be achieved by means of engaging the mentioned role players, either on an individual basis or through organised consumer bodies.
The role of consumers in putting health standards related to food into action is for instance to report unsatisfactory or unhygienic conditions existing on food premises, or as it relates to the foodstuffs itself they purchased, to the Environmental Health Practitioner responsible for the investigation and monitoring of the mentioned conditions, and to insist on being informed of the outcome as well as remedial actions taken. Similarly, consumers have the right to approach the person in charge of a food premises regarding any unsatisfactory situation as mentioned and to insist on action being taken to rectify the situation.
In conclusion, in my capacity as the Director-General of the Department of Health, I wish to thank CGCSA, an specifically your manager of the Food Safety Initiative (FSI), Dr Lucia Anelich, for the excellent cooperation the relevant units within the department encountered since the formation of FSI, on various food safety related issues such as the Sudan Red contamination of chilli products and the Melamine in milk products associated with foodstuffs originating from China, etc.
On behalf of my department, I hereby wish to confirm that myself, as well as all the relevant staff of the department, will continue to give our full support to the relevant aims and goals of CGCSA and its members, as well as that of other stakeholders, to ensure that the food control related healthcare standards of the department are put into action by all concerned within a spirit of co-operation and mutual understanding, and in the interest of the people we serve, namely all South Africans.
Source: Department of Health
