The Unpoison Network has raised the alarm that the list of banned or restricted use of agrochemicals has not been updated since 2017, and Terbufos, linked to the deaths of several children in recent cases of food-borne illnesses, does not appear on that list.
UnPoison is an advocacy NPO that specialises in the regulatory framework governing pesticides.
Their position comes in response to Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen’s recent remarks that there are six licences granted in South Africa for the manufacture and distribution of Terbufos and it was highly regulated.
He said five of the licenses were active, “all under strict supervision and strict licensing obligations and strict supply chain management conditions”.
However, according to the Unpoison Network, this was not the case.
“DALRRD’s (previously DAFF’s) list of banned or restricted use of agrochemicals has not been updated since 2017, and Terbufos does not appear on that list.
“Nothing at all has been implemented across the supply chain to regulate, track, monitor, or enforce regulations regarding Terbufos. The labels do not comply.
“In South Africa, the label is the law. In other words, the regulations are written in such a way as to indemnify the manufacturers against harm or poisoning by reverting to whether the instructions on the label were followed.
“Restricted use products should state ‘Restricted Use’ on the label and specify the restrictions and the hazards according to the WHO. We request that Minister Steenhuisen verify the labels of the five registered Terbufos products,“ Unpoison Network said.
The organisation noted that Terbufos has also been banned “in the EU since 2006, and it is banned by our neighbours”.
“All other SADC countries (except Lesotho) have banned Terbufos. Botswana’s ban will... take effect this December. Zimbabwe has not imported Terbufos since 2000.”
The department of Agriculture did not respond to requests for comment by deadline.
Meanwhile the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) said its Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs), in collaboration with George Municipality, the national Department of Agriculture and police, hosted an educational workshop aimed at empowering informal food traders in Thembalethu, George.
Acting chief for EHPs in George, Jessica Erasmus said about 200 informal food traders attended the session.
"The workshop featured presentations from our EHPs. The National Department of Agriculture focused on pesticides and poison (and) prohibited pesticides and rat poisons that businesses are not allowed to sell.
Additionally, guidelines were provided on the proper storage of hazardous materials, stressing the importance of secure storage practices,” said Erasmus.
Drakenstein Municipality has urged all spaza and house shop owners who have not yet registered their shops, to do so before December 6.
The municipality said they have 139 spaza and house shops in the area who currently comply with the Municipality’s land use planning legislation safety.
Drakenstein mayor, Stephen Korabie, said: “Law Enforcement has already been conducting joint operations together with the police, national Department of Home Affairs, and health inspectors of the Cape Winelands District Municipality.
Expired food items and alcohol have been confiscated and undocumented foreigners arrested. We recognise the vital role that spaza and house shop owners play in the informal sector economy, but they need to be legal and deliver a safe service.”
Cape Times