. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/ZAF/26 
2 March 2009 
 (09-1031) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
 
 
 
NOTIFICATION  
 
1. Notifying Member:  SOUTH AFRICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Health Directorate:  Food Control 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Maximum levels of Melamine in foodstuffs 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ X ] All trading partners, or [   ] Specific regions or countries:    
5. Title of the notified document:  Regulations Relating to the Maximum Levels of 
Melamine in Foodstuffs (Government Notice R. 61 dated 28 January 2009) 
Language:  English  Number of pages:  1 
6. Description of content:  Determining legal limits for Melamine present in foodstuffs, 
namely infant foods and foods for special dietary uses (1mg/kg), as well as for all other foodstuffs (2.5mg/kg). 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection, [  
 ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [   ] protect territory from other damage from pests.    
8. Is there a relevant international stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text)    
[   ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)     
[   ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM N°)     
[   ] None G/SPS/N/ZAF/26 
Page 2  
 
   Does this proposed regulation conform to  the relevant international standard?   
 [   ] Yes   [ X ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
WHO Report as a guidance on melamine levels in food. 
[Melamine and Cyanuric acid:  Toxicity, Preliminary Risk Assessment and Guidance on 
levels in food (25 September 2008 -upda ted 30 October 2008)] Report published on 
30 October 2008 
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:  Government 
Gazette No. 31819 of 28 January  2009 (available in English) 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  After final publication of the regulations in the 
Government Gazette.  This is not  expected before 28 July 2009. 
Propose date of publication ( dd/mm/yy) :   
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [   ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  With immediate effect. 
[   ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments: [ X ] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or ( dd/mm/yy ):  28 April 2009 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National Notification 
Authority, [ X ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:    
Directorat; Food Control 
Department of Health Private Bag X828 Pretoria 0001 - South Africa 
Tel: +(27 12) 312 0185 
Fax:  +(27 12) 312 3180 E-mail:  dupless@health.gov.za 
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National Notification Authority, [ X ] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:    
Also available on webpage of the Directorate:  Food Control at: 
http://www.doh.gov.za/department/dir_foodcontr-f.html