1. UPDATE ON REPORT PRESENTED AT THE JOINT PORTFOLIO COMMITTEES FOOD SECURITY AND FOOD SAFETY WORKSHOP in February 2016
PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

2. Presentation Outline Introduction
Update on other progress made by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), Department of Health, and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) (and its entities)
Conclusion

3. Introduction
The Joint Portfolio Committees responsible for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Health, and the DTI held a workshop in February 2016 to discuss matters related to food security and food safety.
Departments were given a mandate to coordinate activities and consider issues raised at the meeting.
Several engagements between the Departments and stakeholders have been undertaken.
The recent listeriosis outbreak has demonstrated the improved collaboration between the departments, however, more needs to be done to be proactive and minimise foodborne diseases outbreaks.

4. Update on issues raised in February 2016
CHALLENGE
ACTION PLAN
ACTIVITIES
RESPONSIBILITIES
Cabinet Approval to strengthening of Food Safety Controls
Cabinet level to strengthen Food safety controls oversight in South Africa through reconfiguration of a Ministerial Cluster
Foster an integrated approach to governance that is aimed at improving government planning, decision making and service delivery in food safety matters at national, provincial and local levels.
Cabinet
UPDATE:
DG DAFF and DG NDOH have given consent for the Cabinet Memo regarding the food control authority to be consulted for approval before submission to cabinet.

5. Update on issues raised in February 2016
CHALLENGE
ACTION PLAN
ACTIVITIES
Fragmentation of food control authorities
Establishment of Inter-departmental Food safety coordinating committee (IDFSCC)
Draft National Food safety policy.
Advise the cluster Chairperson on all matters relating to food safety controls in South Africa.
Carry out activities as stipulated in the terms of reference of the IDFSCC
Carry out a feasibility evaluation of the proposed Food Safety Agency and specialized interdepartmental food Inspection Unit having considered the different models in other countries and previous proposals in South Africa.
UPDATE:
Legislative review and gap analysis of various food safety legislations is being conducted.
Rationalisation of legislation is also underway, e.g. food quality aspects originally promulgated under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 to be transferred and regulated under the Agricultural Products Standards Act, 1990.
A feasibility study to consider the various options to handle food control will follow the conclusion of the legislative review. To include possibility of placing the food safety/control chapter in the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) as recommended in the Food & Nutrition Security Strategy.
An economic impact study on listeriosis is being conducted by the DTI.

6. Update on issues raised in February 2016
CHALLENGE
ACTION PLAN
ACTIVITIES
Limited capacity for appropriate scientific inputs in decision-making processes
Appoint a Scientific Advisory group under the IDFSCC
To advice the IDFSCC and coordinate or carry out interdepartmental food safety risk assessments.
Research and risk assessments on emerging issues.
Harmonization of food imports risk assessment
To advice on food safety
UPDATE
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) in collaboration with DAFF and NRF is in the process of establishing a Community of Practice (Research champions) on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Risk Analysis. Unfortunately previous attempts to establish a research chair failed as no suitable candidate could be found irrespective of numerous advertisements for the position.
The NDOH will commission a Diet intake Study to determine the consumption patterns of consumers. This will contribute to risk assessment, particularly exposure assessment, monitoring as well as regulatory interventions

7. Update on issues raised in February 2016
CHALLENGE
ACTION PLAN
ACTIVITIES
Absence of an integrated strategy on food laboratories.
Appoint a Laboratory Advisory group under the IDFSCC
Develop and advice the IDFSCC on the strategy for an integrated food laboratory network from different jurisdictions with a mandate for food safety
UPDATE:
The revitalization and modernization of food laboratories has been included in Operation Phakisa initiative. A standard for the registration of private laboratories has been developed.
National Treasury has allocated some money for the initial phase of capacitating one of the DAFF food laboratories.
A laboratory approval policy for microbiological testing of raw meat at final stages of approval.
Feasibility of regulating information requirements from private food testing laboratories has been included in the legislative review.

8. Update on issues raised in February 2016
CHALLENGE
ACTION PLAN
ACTIVITIES
Lack of laboratories and a government institution for animal species DNA traces quantification in collaboration with Universities
Identify laboratories and institution responsible for leading quantification of species DNA traces
The laboratories identified are the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Biotechnology Platform and Swift Laboratory (Cape town and Pretoria).
ARC to carry out studies on the levels of species contamination that is achievable, detectable, and acceptable in RSA through research institutions.    
UPDATE:
DAFF allocated R3.2million for the development and validation of species identification and quantification testing methods.
The project has been completed and outcomes shared with stakeholders.

9. Update on issues raised in February 2016
CHALLENGE
ACTION PLAN
ACTIVITIES
Approval of an official traceability and recall policy and system
Establish a Committee under IDFSCC dealing with inspections (including auditing system on inspection)
Establish a national policy on food Recall System to enable quick and effective recall communication and automatic reporting to the IDFSCC
Establish legal basis for Industry to report their ‘recalls’ to the IDFSCC.
UPDATE:
The livestock identification and traceability system (LITS) policy has been developed. Call for expression of interest for service providers to develop the business plan and host the database has been advertised.
The revised Hygiene Regulations (R 638/2018) have been strengthened to require documentation for compliance and traceability records. Industry is required to report a recall to the Environmental Health Practitioner as well as the Directorate Food Control. The Labelling and Advertising Regulations R146/2010 requires Supplier Information files. An MOU with the National Consumer Commission is to be finalised in response to the listeriosis Outbreak.

10. Update on issues raised in February 2016
CHALLENGE
ACTION PLAN
ACTIVITIES
Lack of synergies for Food inspections between enforcement authorities
IDFSCC to review food inspection system with DAFF, DTI and NDoH (establish a Inspections working committee)
Finalize independent meat inspection proposal
Address capacity issues within the local level
Create linked databases for inspectors and registered food facilities
Conduct municipal audits and rating the municipalities and their food handling facilities
UPDATE:
In collaboration with the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa, Departments are working towards the establishment of an integrated product identification and traceability system which would enable inspectors to access previous audit/inspection reports within the food chain.
Independent Meat Inspection for abattoirs and meat imports and exports is in place (01 January 2018).

11. Update on issues raised in February 2016
UPDATE (CONT):
Registers for all meat processing plants are kept and maintained.
Municipalities that are the competent authorities for Municipal Health Services are required to generate and keep registers of all premises in their areas of jurisdiction in terms of the National Environmental Health Norms and Standards 2015, including food premises and they are annually audited for compliance thereof.
Municipalities are further expected to annually send updated database to National Department of Health, Environmental Health Directorate as of end of September 2018.
There is evidence of improvement in Municipal Health Service Delivery Systems in general generated through the auditing of Municipalities as well as graphs that rate Municipalities from poor to best performing, best improved, best innovative etc.

12. Update on issues raised in February 2016
CHALLENGE
ACTION PLAN
ACTIVITIES
Ineffective communication
IDFSCC to become the single point of communication on Food Safety.
IDFSCC to develop a communication strategy and training on food control matters
Improve on vertical and horizontal communication to reach local level.
Need to establish a forum/contact point that consumers can complain to.
Implement an effective consumer education program on food safety matters
UPDATE:
Food Legislation Advisory Group (FLAG) meets twice per year ensuring co-ordination and collaboration on regulatory matters between regulators, enforcers, academia and official laboratories, consumer organisations as well as professional and industry bodies. The terms of reference are currently being updated.
Communication on food related issues coordinated and released through the main department related to the issue at hand.
Provincial and Municipal Food Control Committees also coordinate across the various mandates at functional level.
National Consumer Commission and NDOH have implemented Hotlines to report non compliances, including fake and expired foods at retail level.

13. Update on issues raised in February 2016
CHALLENGE
ACTION PLAN
ACTIVITIES
Harmonization of food inspectors’ training
Establish a harmonized/ standardized training of official inspectors
Development of Inspection manuals across all areas of food inspection
Training and induction of newly appointed inspectors
Establish unit for training of official inspectors
UPDATE:
Training and inspection manual for general hygiene being developed by NDOH.
Training of Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) and Veterinary Public Health Officers (VPHOs) on inspection of food and food premises has been conducted and is ongoing especially when new legislation has been promulgated. Nine Hundred (900) officials trained between April and August 2018

14. Update on issues raised in February 2016
CHALLENGE
ACTION PLAN
ACTIVITIES
Broadening access and participation between the Public and Private sector on SPS issues
Develop an electronic coordination mechanism between national SPS committee and all interested stakeholders
Improving SPS coordination in terms of broader consultations and reporting to include private Sector and interested consumers
UPDATE:
Various forums for interaction are available and fully utilised.
Industry meetings with various associations
DAFF – National Animal Health Forum (NAHF), food safety forum & MRL, National SPS committee meetings and newsletters
NDOH - FLAG and Co-ordination of inputs into International Food standard setting body for Food Safety

15. Update on issues raised in February 2016
CHALLENGE
ACTION PLAN
ACTIVITIES
Inadequate and effective Import control coordination at borders
Exchange of information on imported products with other relevant regulators
Exchange of import permits with agencies involved with border controls
Importers to declare final destination and usage of imported material before issuance of permits & at port of entry
DAFF and NDOH to develop partnership in the ongoing border control pilot project between SARS/NRCS.
Develop an electronic filing of import inspection applications for certain food products.  
UPDATE:
Improved collaboration at the ports between various government entities.
Discussions between DAFF and SARS on an electronic certification for Plant Health issues.
The Border Management Agency (BMA) is aimed at coordination all points of entry activities. The BMA bill is pending parliament approval

16. Conclusion
Significant positive progress has been made in relation to coordination of activities between the various Departments.
The Inter-departmental Food Safety Coordinating Committee (IDFSCC) to work on a feasibility study to determine the best model for an integrated food control system in the country.
Challenges to address rapid and continuous responses to food safety issues must be addressed at different levels of the state, e.g.,
Developing and approval of the necessary legislations,
Providing necessary funding,
Prioritising food safety

17. THE END